Krait book 05 Mostly Marauders
by slytherinsal
Summary: The Golden Trio have left from school, and the tradition of Marauding rests firmly on the shoulders of Romulus, Wilhelmina, Kinat and the Malfoy twins. And Abraxus is carrying a torch for Myrtle... in between the 5 seeking secret passages
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: to those people in such benighted parts of the world as do not play cricket[oops my prejudices are hanging out] I need to explain that the game is often referred to in a poetic fashion as 'the sound of willow on leather' ie the willow wood bat striking the leather covered ball. You need to know this for the Marauders' joke in this chapter to make sense._

**Chapter 1**

The New Marauders were planning to have a very full holiday and new school year too.

Not only was there a magic scrying mirror to find, it had to be established quietly in Durmstrang by house elves; and the task of protecting Hogwarts would then – in the opinion of the four regular and one occasional members – fall to them. They would be fourth years after all!

"We need to make a concerted effort to find more of the secrets of Hogwarts before we get tied up with our OWLs" said Hawke "The marauders' map shows the seven secret passages that the original Marauders knew; and Filch knows four of them. There's gotta be more than that."

"I vote we explore the roofs while the weather's good still" suggested Kinat "Chimneys sometimes have secret passages in them in stories, we might be able to tell by the thickness."

"Unless the passages are hidden by being at least partly in wizarding space" said Wilhelmina Prince, the occasional member. "I'm going to be busy this term; I'm still perfecting my animagus form, but I can help with abseiling stuff."

"Wizarding space – that's a point there Bil" said Abraxus.

"Yeah, I thought it was a good one…and by the way, I'm changing my nickname; from now on I want to be known as Willow."

"Willow? That's pretty. Y'feel old enough to want to be more feminine, that it?" asked Kinat. Their friend had also changed her look, getting rid of the masses of dark hair that fell lankly about her face to wear it short and spiky in the front and long at the back, with a scarlet streak enchanted into it and heavy Goth makeup.

"Yes; and it kind of goes with the animagus; Pussy Willow you know, as well as the analogy that willow bends but does not break."

Hawke grinned.

"Sirius may look on the betrothal with you as a way to protect you from your father, but I'm guessing you see it more seriously…. I wonder who's going to try to get detentions to have him spank you with a slipper so there's the sound of leather on Willow?"

Willow blushed but grinned; she appreciated the cricketing joke at her expense.

"Well, we shall see" she said.

Sirius was special; he had looked after her since she first got to school, had saved her life; had put himself out to make sure her horrid father and his unkind wife could not get her back to make into a servant. Sirius was wonderful; and Willow adored him from the bottom of her complex little heart.

The adults were tracking down the second mirror that could be looked through with the one from the attic; Severus had put his memories of having found it when he was a fourth year into the Penseive to see if there was anything in them to tell of its whereabouts. Other than that it was in a brothel, little could be told from its current location, for it had been moved since Severus was at school.

"It's in London I am certain" said Severus "The business suited men who stopped to comb their hair in it had the air of Londoners…and one of the girls had the traces of a cockney accent when they were talking amongst themselves and not being lah-di-dah for the clients. Not that that helps any I guess, because people move about…why would there be a magic mirror in a brothel?"

"Because it used to be a wizarding house that got sold and someone found the mirror and thought it was cool" said Krait. "If they match in style – as one might assume they do – it's all rococo and ornate and ghastly. Just right for a brothel!"

"Right….so we need to talk to the sort of people who were wealthy enough to own a big house like I think it is, it certainly has big rooms, and find out if anyone sold it.."

"Lucius might know" said Krait "He dabbles in the muggle property market among other things."

"Before his time; he'd barely left school when I found it, and it was an established bordello then." Objected Severus.

"Meh; but Lucius knows things and he knows people" said Krait. "Meantime, let's see how high class it is; we can see the feet of people before they get undressed and maybe we can recognise the sort of people we see on TV… muggle politicians and the like."

"Oh for that spot of genteel blackmail, eh?" Severus laughed.

"Along those lines" grinned Krait "Actually I was thinking of genteel breaking and entering to find address books or having house elves follow them, but we could be blunt if you preferred."

It was Casimir who came up with the idea of peering at the clock that Severus' view showed; the window was reflected in it.

"But I didn't look at it; so how can I have any recollection of a reflection that's not even something I saw?" said Severus.

"The eye assimilates more than it realises; it's a very efficient organ" said Casimir "We might see something if we can only home in on it. Pity you can't computer enhance pensieve views."

"But we can use a camera with wizarding chemicals and scan it from the current one" said Krait "You never know…."

It took a little patience; but the girl whose room this was in was in the habit of sitting on the bed with a mirror to fix her face after clients had gone.

"Gotcha" said Casimir looking at the photo "She's got a window behind her. And THAT we can enhance and use an internet house tracker….."

"Clever business" said Severus.

"Oh I'm no expert on this but there are plenty of tools on the internet" said Casimir "It's why we keep half the house strictly magical and the other half strictly muggle, so we can have computers and I can use power tools and Wendy had a washing machine and so on. House elves are all very well, but my Wendy likes to control her own household chores. I'm inclined to think it's not so very far from where we are – same period, same style – and as Orme Court seems to have several wizarding houses in of families busy dying out so we could buy them up, it's a reasonable assumption. I'll run a search for Bayswater."

"Orme of course is from old Norse meaning snake or Great Wyrm" said Krait "So it was probably a Slytherin area. Might it not be easier just to print out the ruddy enhancement and go for a look-see?"

"It might at that" confessed Casimir. "My database is by no means complete…"

"Well we'll try around Orme Lane, Orme Court and Orme Court mansions" said Krait "To start with. I guess it'll be at the end near the A402, 'cos that's a big tree in the corner and I bet that's Kensington Park…"

It took a little while: but once the building opposite had been identified, it was a simple matter to pick out the brothel. It took no more than a lot of leg work; walking around the neighbourhood with copies of the photo, duly reversed as it had been viewed in the and mirror of the expensive whore, until they could find a scene that tallied.

"Nice and convenient for the Queensway tube station" said Krait cheerfully.

In common with most of the buildings in the area it was a big, five storied Victorian Gothic pile; unlike most of the other residences it had not been broken up into flats.

"So, what do we do? Try to buy it?" asked Krait "I can see you, Sev my love, 'excuse me I want to buy the mirror from the four poster of one of your girls'" she affected a slightly Monty Python Terry Jones dodgy character voice "You'd need a dirty raincoat!"

Severus laughed.

"I thought we might buy a plain mirror in some furniture superstore and transfigure the frame to match and get Sirri and Beloc to swap it when there's nobody around."

"Simple; elegant. I like it" said Krait cheerfully.

Once they had the mirror's partner – an easy matter – Krait turned both mirrors over to the New Marauders to see if there was any way the new one could be activated to scry back. If anyone could find all its secrets, five fourteen year olds could, she reasoned!

"It's broken" Hawke reported "It should be a two-way mirror, but some muggle has 'improved' it and broken off the activation device. We can get dad to carve and gild something that looks appropriate and I guess you grown ups are hard enough to reactivate it if you think it's worth doing."

"Hmmm" said Krait "We don't want Durmstrangers peering back at us willy nilly even if we put it back in the attics – which I think we should – but it might be handy to have an activation device. I know; we'll tie it to Parseltongue like the Chamber of Secrets, then only one of the Bloodgroup or other stray Parselmouths can activate it."

"Yeah; and use a muggle sort of word too that any stray German Parselmouth – if there are any – ain't going to think of" said Hawke.

"What, like, 'January-suborbital-denomination' from Mission Impossible?" laughed Krait.

"Yes; or – or 'activate surveillance'" said Hawke. "Scrying is a wizarding word; surveillance is a muggle word."

Krait nodded.

"So, _**sssss**__Activate Surveillance__**ssss**_" she said, using parseltongue "Yup, that should defeat anyone who isn't us. Good-oh!"

Hermione's house elf, Rosli, rescued from Durmstrang, was able to give enough information that a good place might be chosen. A large anteroom with doors to staff offices and head's office was often used for firetalking through the Floo network and for conducting some business. It was almost a staffroom, like a lounge where staff might relax, though each had their own offices too for correcting and setting work. Krait had the impression that although many of the staff of Hogwarts would correct work in the staffroom - so they could amuse colleagues by reading out the better howlers and mistakes - that Durmstrang staff would never act so informally. They might, however, discuss school problems; and it might be instructive to see what fire messages were sent.

"There'll be a mirror in there" she said "To check they look neat before facing their pupils; just replace it. Sirri, Beloc, do you feel capable of putting a memory in the mind of the elf that serves drinks to the staff that the old one got broken and it was replaced, just in case anyone asks?"

"Well unless it's magical, we'll break it; let an elf see, and then just arrange replacing it" said Beloc "Better to have real memories than replaced ones."

"The seven years bad luck is just a superstition then?"

Beloc shrugged.

"I think so; but if Sev would let me have a drop or two of Felix Felicis I can take that before I break it to offset any bad luck…."

Severus was happy to oblige.

He had taken to keeping supplies of felix Felicis around against any more trouble from the fey or from Odessa.

They were back a few days later.

"Installed" said Beloc laconically "And the felix brought me more luck; I had an urge to look in a particular office, which turned out to be that of that fellow Hesse, the Odessa member. There was an invitation to him to train in a new installation deep in the Pripet Marshes. He was supposed to burn it; and he did, but not very well. I could read the words white on the black sheet in the grate. I should think that might be handy?"

"I'll say" said Severus "That was well done, Beloc; I'm very pleased with that. Now go and put some clothes on; you look faintly ridiculous"

Beloc grinned.

"Durmstrang elves do. Odd dusters they wear, old worn up teatowels, not even a livery of new teatowels like the Hogwarts ones! I can't wait to be back in silks and velvet! Sirri already is changing; doesn't want you to see her in rags she said."

Severus' face softened.

"As though I care… I love Sirri you know, Beloc; it may not be as dearly as I love Krait, but I do love her."

Beloc grinned.

"If I thought you didn't I'd be taking issue with you."

"You two are remarkable elves."

Beloc pulled a face.

"Yes, I'd almost forgotten how servile elves can be… and how childishly many of them speak. Even with the other elves around, the free ones mostly try, and at least the Hogwarts ones aren't servile. You'll be deep reading us later, won't you, to see if the elf urge for self punishment is in any way tied to the Imperius curse?"

Severus nodded.

It was a brilliant idea to get self punishment urges reversed and outlawed!

oOoOoOo

Sirri asked Severus to love her first before he used deep legilimensy; and he was glad to do so, to relax her and make her feel empowered by taking pleasure from and with him.

He plunged into her mind, gently stroking her face as he did so for reassurance.

There were many things in there that made him boilingly angry for her all over again, her previous master's ill usage, the casual use of her as a brood mare to produce a saleable baby – and how glad he was that her Mimi had been rescued and was now one of his children – and numberless little abuses and discourtesies she had looked on as normal before being freed by the Bloodgroup.

It was there; it was deep but it was there, tied into her very being, heritable and unavoidable. It would be a ticklish business to undo so subtle and long established an enchantment.

"I think we'll need a ritual" he said to her as he emerged and she gazed at him anxiously "And I most certainly will bring this up in Session."

In the Wizarding Governing Chamber Severus was known as Severin Prince; and he wore a mask to hide scars, which it was implied he had got fighting Voldemort. He had murmured something about cursed wounds not healing and left it at that. He claimed a wife, Augusta Malfoy-Prince; since Krait's real name, forgotten by most, was Augusta; and whom Lucius acknowledged as a relative and let people think it was an illegitimate child of his. As there were now rumours abroad of his muggle mistress and her two children, this was given credence; and was used by many as good proof that Lucius really had been playing Voldemort for a sucker if he had a muggle woman and half breed children concealed all this time.

That the children were not his, but his half-nephew's, and that one was not even Charlotte's either was never known to the general wizarding world; and Lucius' wife Narcissa also went along with the fiction.

Charlotte had, after all, prevented her from acting under a version of the imperius curse to kill her own beloved son. Narcissa and Charlotte were as thick as thieves.

Harry Potter was by way of being the figurehead of the Wizarding Government; Lucius did most of the running of it; but Severin Prince was a little feared by most for his grim aspect, and that both Lucius Malfoy and Sirius Black in addition to Harry Potter backed his few suggestions and listened to him with respect swayed those who did not know who he was.

Frank Longbottom knew; and he was on Severus' side wholeheartedly over helping elves.

"It's an enormous task" he said "We'd have to round up everyone who owns – or employs – an elf and have them ritually de-cursed."

"I am on the arithmancy" said Severus "And I propose to try first on volunteer free elves that are known to me. But I wanted it cleared that what has been done in the past is illegal by today's more enlightened standards."

There was a general murmur of consent; and a law was duly passed that the self punishment by elves was an illegal curse and that all elf owners were to issue orders to their elves that they might think what thoughts they pleased and were not to enact punishment on themselves for it.

"It's a start" said Harry "And not all will obey, and how are we to know? But some will; some from respect of the law, and most, I suspect, out of fear of people like Lucius."

Lucius grinned.

"Ah, what it is to have a reputation" he said.

"well, you used to be the worst offender where house elves were concerned that I knew. Until I went to Durmstrang that is; where I fancy they may be worse."

"Yes; and Voldemort did a good job on me to isolate me from any willing support I might have" said Lucius "It's given me a distaste for any kind of control…. You coming over to see your second cousin? Dudley's visiting Draco for a few days and he brought the baby."

Harry grinned.

"Yeah, I think I might; thanks Lucius. Then Draco and I can set out for our auror training together."

"What I thought" agreed Lucius.

Harry enjoyed meeting his infant namesake; and was amazed to see Dudley such a gentle, caring parent. Small Harry Dursley would not be likely to have any personal problems when he came up to Hogwarts!

oOoOO

The New Marauders, now their main Mission was complete set out to enjoy the rest of their holidays, and renewed their acquaintance with the actress Grace Sylvia and got themselves involved as extras in a cop show she was acting in!

Severus had learned to drive and bought a minibus to share with the Casimir Malfoys for the ferrying of excess children around, since one of the Marauders, Romulus, was his adopted son and Willow was his cousin and ward.

It was Hawke's idea to paint the minibus black and fit brass rails on top; and enthusiastic fun was had by all the children, right down to three year old Lilith, in making and dressing an articulated dummy painted to look like a zombie from a movie, that dangled in the back and waved to passers by.

They were stopped once by the police who wanted to check 'Unhygenic Igor' was not a child dressed up and unrestrained in the back; and Severus said,

"Don't blame me, officer, I have teenage children and their friends live next door. It was blue and quite ordinary when I bought it."

There was much hilarity amongst the traffic cops once they had verified that Igor was just a very cleverly made doll; and the 'Orme Court Hearse' became known to the police and henceforth ignored.

oOoOo

Abraxus approached Krait hesitantly when she was – for once – alone, and the other Marauders preoccupied.

"Krait, can I ask you something?" he said.

"You can ask me anything…the answer will depend on the question" she said "But you look more than serious; so I'll do my best to answer as fully and truthfully as I can."

"Without being cross?"

"I guess that depends if you've trashed my new herb bed and if so, how badly and how it happened" said Krait.

"Oh no! I haven't damaged anything" said Abrax "Only…only I want to know if it's possible to do something no-one else has done before and if it's a morally acceptable thing to do."

Krait was all ears.

Any fourteen year old who was throwing around phrases like 'morally acceptable' was a troubled child in need of as much aid as she could give him.

"Well I guess it's a magical question if your mum can't help….tell me about it from the beginning."

"It's Myrtle" said Abraxus in a rush "Because it's so unfair her being a ghost."

"Yes; extremely unfair" said Krait. "You think she ought to cross over the veil?"

Abrax shook his head.

"Voldemort was killed; but he left parts of his soul in horcruces" he said "Myrtle's whole soul is in her ghost. HE had a new body made with ritual materials; can't we make one for Myrtle?"

"I don't know….let me think. She'd need some blood or bone of her own ancestors, I guess, do you know where they lived?"

Abrax nodded.

"I found out some from her, though I've not told her what I want to try; her parents are still alivel I found them on the internet, her dad's in his nineties and her mum is eighty something but they are alive! And living blood of her parents would be more efficacious than bone of her ancestor, wouldn't it?"

Krait nodded.

"Blood of the one who killed her….can't manage that, but maybe blood of the heir of one who killed her willingly given, activated by a wand with the core of basilisk crest – my wand. Myself I'd also include blood of unicorn, freely given – and that's from me again as well – and tears of the phoenix, one of the few things that can heal a wound from a basilisk. I'm sure Ffawkes will oblige. But I should think that a flesh offering would be required as well."

"It is" said Abraxus "I found the book he had used when he was Tom Riddle. I guess Professore Dumbledore had taken it out of the library judiciously 'cos I said _accio blood ritual book_ and it came flying out of the head's office window. It had it all in, heavily underlined in splotty ink. Madame Pince would have crucified Riddle if she'd caught him doing that!"

"Pity she didn't; we might have all been saved a lot of trouble" said Krait dryly. "So where's that coming from? Can it be a random corpse?"

Abrax shook his head.

"It has to be given willingly for love; something important like a hand" he said. "I'll donate that; I love Myrtle to bits and I'd readily give a hand to have her get a chance to finish growing up and be a real girl again."

Krait looked at him thoughtfully.

"In which case it might even work" she said. "I want you to go and talk to your parents about this; they have a right to know what you're planning, as it is extremely risky. I don't think they're likely to forbid you but you can't do something like that without at least telling them. If they were likely to forbid it, you'd just have to wait until you were seventeen; Myrtle isn't going anywhere and we could maybe sustain her parents to make sure they survived. Then we have to get THEIR permission to give their blood, it's not an automatic given. However much they miss her, people can sometimes be illogical over issues of death, and get stubborn and refuse to discuss anything once closure is over. You need to talk them into it."

Abraxus nodded.

"Well, you're not dismissing it out of hand."

"Abrax, we've done far too many things that nobody has ever done before to start quibling over any matter that looks at first glance to be impossible" she said "And we have an example of what kinda sorta worked before."

"I'd not want her looking like him; I guess she'd rather be dead" said Abraxus.

"Quite. No, there was a reason for his fishyness's appearance; he had sustained the homunculus body on snake venom and unicorn blood – murdered unicorn at that – and it had an inevitable effect. I'll start some arithmantic calculations…dear me I seem to be spending all my time calculating when to put rituals into effect. I need Myrtle's birthdate; and time too if you have it. And I need to feed in your age to it too, and the time between, and the effect of the generation between me and Riddle…" she smiled at him. "go talk to Wendy and Casimir while I work some things out as a framework and if you're good I'll even talk to Ffawkes for you to get his tears."

"THANKS Krait; you're the best!" said Abraxus; and ran off, a much happier little boy than when he had come in.

"Lumme!" said Krait to herself "And to think most people only have their young relatives with normal romance problems!"

oOoOo

Krait talked it over with Severus of course.

"You might need the venom of that which killed her; or the antidote to it" he said "I'll look into that. And I should say that we need her own bones to build a new body on. The Bloodgroup can use their synchronised heartbeats to kickstart her heart."

"And a drop of blood from each of them who will as willing sacrifice will boost the effect too" said Krait. "Must he cut it off? His hand?"

Severus pulled a face. "I would have said it might be more effective if he reached into the boiling cauldron to feel for her and pull her out, it joining to her as it boils off him."

"But it could be done the other way?"

"It could. It could. It worked with Peter's hand; and his sacrifice was not deep down one hundred per cent willing. He feared to do it. Somehow I think Abrax will approach this with more positive thoughts. And positive thoughts have a lot of effect on ritual magic."

Krait's initial calculations showed that it would be several months before the ritual would be suitable; and she set out to refine her work as she received more data from her researches. Bringing people back from the dead was not to be approached lightly; nor in most cases even considered. The resurrection stone brought only cold unwilling shades, if the stories were to be believed. She glanced down at the cracked stone in the damaged Peverell ring that was hers by right, though she planned to give it to her half brother when he was older. That however had brought people from beyond the veil; and Myrtle had never gone beyond the veil. Holding her wand against the stone might help too; it was worth a try, since it was a device of soul summoning. And indeed made pseudo bodies of some solidity. It might indeed….she scribbled a few things down and nodded in satisfaction. It should help to consolidate the bone and blood with which they would work to coalesce as a real body.

It could be done.

Whether it SHOULD be done was another matter; but she was certain her ultimate ancestor Salazar Slytherin never meant his pet to be used for evil ends. Myrtle should not have died; so bringing her back was less wrong than bringing back either an adult or someone who had an incurable illness say. Unless it was now curable. The moral question was decidedly murky; and much of whether it should be done would be decided by whether the Bloodgroup agreed it should be done and agreed to help.

oOoOO

Krait wasted no time; and soon the whole group was there including Abrax.

"You asked about the moral question, Abrax" said Krait "I'm not opposed to what you want to do, nor is Severus; but you must have the consent of the Bloodgroup as a whole or I don't think we can pull it off – not properly. Explain to them."

Haltingly, Abrax told the rest what he wanted to do, blushing as he did so. Hawke had his hand on his twin's shoulder, supporting him; Abrax had finally shared his dilemma with him.

Hermione frowned.

"Is it right to drag someone back?" she said.

"Back from where? The loo?" said Krait "Myrtle's neither one thing nor another, not alive nor dead. She's a ghost. If she'd gone on, yes of course it would be wrong, you know the tale of the Peverells three and the second brother's lost love who was cold and sad when he used the stone….yes I am wearing it and yes, I thought it might play a part in consolidating other factors. If we agreed to do it."

Harry shrugged

"Myrtle's had a raw deal… I guess anything we can do to make up to her has to be good."

"Yes, she's cheered up with our company but she's still stuck in being somewhat depressed for eternity because it was the state in which she died" said Draco "And she can't move on from that unless she goes beyond the veil – or, I guess, comes back. I say go for it; what have we got to lose?"

"Myrtle's soul and Abrax's hand" said Krait.

"She could lose her soul? Nah, Krait, mate, it ain't dark magic" said Ron "Reckon for her worst that'd happen is she gets thrown through the veil. And Harry says it ain't so bad, he's seen his parents, hasn't he?"

"Ron you know nothing about the magic of death!" said Hermione

"No; and no more does anyone else" said Ron.

"And Ron has a down to earth assessment with all his common sense that I think is better than any amount of fruitless debate from those of us who try to be too clever" said Krait softly. "Abrax, there is that chance she'll be thrown beyond the veil; you'll lose a hand to no end and she won't be there to talk to."

"But she'll still then be able to move on and stop being sad, won't she?" said Abrax simply. "I'll miss her like mad; but I'll be glad for her you know."

"That's an answer enough for me" said Krait. "He knows the risks. Will anyone else join to help?"

"Stupid question, Krait" snorted Hermione "I may not be sure if I approve but we always pull together. I want to check your arithmantic calculations though."

"Of course Hermione" Krait smiled.

How VERY Hermione!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Severus and Krait had two wards to chaperone for the first time through Diagon Alley, purchasing kit; in addition they would escort Erich and Grace, this year taking OWLs, and Willow and Romulus in the fourth year. David, technically their ward too, was quite capable of shopping for himself though no older than Grace and Erich; and was besides escorting Alice from Scotland to shop with her and Ellie, and doubtless showing off his new prefect's badge. The Snapes had promised too to take Kinat's little sister Senagra, to make sure there were not problems from shopkeepers over serving a goblin child. Kinat, as a crony of Romulus and Willow would doubtless go with them and the Malfoy twins too.

"And if you think I'm coming into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with you, you can think again" said Severus "I really do NOT want to know what illegal goodies you buy in there. Though I have only too much faith in your powers of creative nefarious doings not to expect that I shall eventually find out if only by having to confiscate them."

Four young boys grinned identical grins at him and Willow looked dangerously innocent.

The two young wards were Jem Ingate and Erwin Von Strang, Erich's younger half brother. They were both looking forward to going to Hogwarts; that they had each other to be friends with was a good start, and they also knew Senagra which was nice too.

Before shopping, they were to meet with Cynthia – known as Cynner – Strong, who had been persuaded by her friend Callum, Willow's half brother, to write to Severus on behalf of other children in the apartment block in which she had lived. Cynner and her mother now lived with Callum and his mother, and house-shared quite amicably. Anastasia Strong was starting to look much fitter for it.

Cynner and Callum were waiting in the Leaky Cauldron and they all moved the brick that let them climb through the wall into wizarding space and hence Diagon Alley. Cynner led them along, stopping to sigh gently as Severus stopped in horror to stare at the advertisement outside the Cauldron shop declaiming the ALL NEW WONDER CAULDRON was here, complete with built-in speaking potion recipe remembrance facility.

"Art is dead" said Severus flatly "Well, none of my first years better turn up with one, that's all I can say."

Krait giggled.

"Fill its memory with recipes for filleted first year" she suggested.

"Tempting, my dear; very tempting" he said "Sorry Miss Strong; I am coming."

Cynner grinned.

"You nearly filleted Lorraine Delgardy with her self-stirring cauldron last year" she remarked.

"And her repellent parents who thought money could buy everything – including my compliance to their little darling's cheating equipment!" he growled.

"You never told me that" said Krait "What did you turn them into?"

Callum whispered to Cynner,

"Be cool if he just answered 'lunch!'"

She giggled.

Severus glared at his young cousin, who grinned back; and said,

"I didn't turn them INTO anything; but I threatened to turn them in, to the aurors for attempting to bribe me…. Our society relies on the exams being accepted as being fair and to try to corrupt someone with input into who takes exams or not is unacceptable. I threatened them with Lucius, as school governor….rich they might be but they're still scared of Lucius!"

Krait grinned.

"So useful to have a scary uncle, isn't it?"

Cynner led the group down Knockturn Alley, that dark and sinister appendix to Diagon Alley; right to the end and then through between two of the dark, brooding buildings to a dilapidated apartment block.

"That's a disgrace" said Krait "Who owns it?"

Cynner shrugged.

"Dunno; there was an agent used to come for the rent" she said.

"No-one ought to live in a place like this" said Willow, looking around at the filthy entranceway, unwashed windows – those that were not broken and stuffed with rag – and walls whose plaster had fallen in great swathes, lying in piles on the floor unswept as it descended a lump at a time.

"Well it's all very well being fancy but at least it's a roof and it only leaks in a few places and only on the top floor" said Cynner. "Up here, third floor on the left."

The door was opened by a Hag who smiled at Cynner and looked warily at the rest.

"Professor Snape" said Severus "You have children who deserve to be tested for a scholarship I believe? Or so Miss Strong gives me to understand."

The Hag blinked.

"Me girls t'go to Hogwarts?" she said.

"If they have the talent" said Severus. "May I come in? The rest of you" he turned to his gaggle of followers "There's not enough room for however many erumpants I have in my party, go downstairs and wait for me and do not even THINK of doing anything ….amusing….to Borgin and Burke's."

"No dad" said Romulus who had considered it "Shall we go to the main alley and see if Kinat and the twins have arrived yet?"

Severus nodded.

"Yes; and try not to lose Jem and Erwin on the way"

Romulus grinned.

"I'm staying, cousin Severus" said Willow "I expect you'll ask Lucius who owns it but I shall ask Sirius if he can find out. It's about time I got involved in doing things; and he might as well help me."

Krait grinned.

Sirius Black didn't stand a chance!

The hag – she introduced herself as Jenny Shipton – had two daughters, both within age, one born at the beginning of the year and one at the end.

"Annis is the oldest, and this is Beth" said Jenny.

"Very well" said Severus "Take turns to see if you can get any sparks out by shaking my wand…good" as both succeeded "Now…use the word _engorgio_ on this stone and concentrate on enlarging it"

Both succeeded, Annis better than Beth

"It'd be easier to turn it into something else" said Annis.

Severus shot her a look.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Oh… a beetle… or a jewel I suppose, though I've only seen jewels up close through dusty windows so I mightn't do it very well….they shine when ladies are wearing them."

"Make it a beetle then" said Severus.

Annis concentrated, her tongue stuck out with effort; and the pebble Severus had brought with him shimmered and began walking across the table.

"Excellent" said Severus. "You have certainly enough talent; your sister is borderline, but we've had those with less talent, and I'm loath to split sisters. As you are the younger, Beth" he smiled kindly at her "You can always repeat a year if you need to. Very well, you may as well come along with my kids and we'll all buy kit together."

"I haven't the means to buy school uniform or kit, professor" said Jenny "Not for one, let alone two."

"Well that was the point of me testing them" said Severus "To see whether they were eligible for a scholarship. Beth may be borderline, but a bit of coaching will doubtless have her showing well enough. And there's enough in the school kitty for me to make discretional decisions about borderline cases. The school pays for everything."

Actually Krait's wealth from her father's father would pay; but there was no need to make Jenny Shipton feel bad.

"Oh girls!" said she "Go next door and tell your gran; she'll be that proud!"

"She's not Mary Shipton is she?" asked Severus.

"Yes, that she is. Do you know her sir?" asked Jenny.

"I've bought potion ingredients from her from time to time" said Severus "She's a competent potioneer too; with luck her grandchildren will share her talent."

Annis and Beth held hands as they followed on after Professor Snape; he was rather awe-inspiring and also totally wonderful. No wonder Cynthia had talked a lot about him and her friend Callum who was his nephew or something.

Cynner grinned at the two young hags.

"Chin up" she said "Professor Snape is the business; he'll get you sorted and freeze anyone who comments into the middle of an ice age!"

"Here's the Malfoy twins" said Callum "And Kinat and that's Senagra; she'll be in your year too, with Jem here and Erwin."

Lucius had turned up in the alley too.

"Forgot it was the day most of the brats go shopping uncle Lucius?" asked Krait.

"On the contrary; I thought if I am to take my position as school governor seriously I should perhaps look over all the new ones. I see most of them are already under your protection"

Krait laughed

"Feels like it sometimes, I have to say!" she said "I need to ask if you know who owns an apartment block at some point…it's dire and I want to shout at someone."

Lucius pulled a face.

"I must say I leave most of the property I own to my factor….but I shall take that as a hint that I should check out my own properties forthwith. I imagine my girls will get onto any irregularities."

"You can tell Charlotte and Narcissa that there's a couple of hags, mother and daughter, live in my dire apartment who might be good cases for their fund; but they're proud. Willow wants to get involved personally, so ask the girls to be tactful and work with her, will you?"

"Oh they and Wendy will be only too delighted to have an up-and-coming interferer" said Lucius "Is it true Wendy is standing as a muggle candidate in the elections to add to the upper chamber?"

"It is; and I'm supporting her" said Krait "Wendy is someone who gets things done; and frankly, from a practical point of view, it does help that she's friendly with Narcissa. A muggle whom nobody knows might be as good at the job, but nepotism and who you know does count."

"Quite" agreed Lucius. "Good grief, with hair that colour, that fellow must be a Weasley….. I must go and say hello, it irritates Weasleys no end when I'm nice to them, such fun!"

Krait laughed.

Men never did grow up.

Lucius stopped to say hello to David, shopping with Ellie and Alice, before speaking to the red haired man and his offspring; then whistled for Hawke and Abraxus to meet the dark haired little girl who was the man's daughter. They then brought her to meet the others.

"This is Lynx Black-Weasley, and her mother's a Crouch so she's only related to about ninety per cent of everybody" said Hawke.

The girl grinned unabashed.

"I've a cousin called Alice Weasley starting as well and her big brother's already there" she said.

Krait groaned artistically.

"Don't remind me!" she said "Colin Weasley and his crony, Jasper Crouch-Jones, who's doubtless another cousin of yours, mean extremely well and have some of the worst potioneering skills I have ever met! I thank my fortune that as third years, those two are now under the tender mercies of Professor Snape not me."

"Oh is that Severus Snape? My dad was at school with him."

"So you know the Black connection of your family, Sirius then?"

Lynx shook her head.

"My dad's parents - my dad's Septimus Black-Weasley – and Sirius Black's parents didn't want them associating with each other at all!" she said "He thought Sirius was a bit of a show off and far too influenced by that arrogant Potter fellow, so it's as well Harry Potter turned out better than his father, isn't it? Will I meet him?"

"Harry? Unlikely, he's studying to be an auror. Sirius Black? He'll be teaching you Geomancy. He grew up all right; you won't find anything to complain about in his manner I think" said Krait, blinking slightly at the way the child managed to deliver so much information without breathing. She wondered what house Septimus Black-Weasley had been in; he sounded as though he was not blinded by the usual view of James Potter and might be worth getting to know.

Hawke meanwhile was introducing Lynx to the others who would be in her year before the little girl had to rejoin her parents for her shopping trip.

There were numerous parents with children, including the rather obvious muggle parents, the man in a wheelchair, with their first year, staring around in wonder and some confusion. Another child hissed

"Mudblood!"

"Albert Jackman" Krait used the _sonorus_ spell to carry her words "You have less manners than a jackal and as your last year's performance across the board was so poor I suggest you spend more time this year applying yourself to your studies and less to displaying your ignorant little prejudices."

The boy flushed.

"M-madam Malfoy, I didn't see you there" he stammered.

"Apparently" said Krait "But then you are an unobservant and ill informed little boy at the best of times; try to do better this year" and she turned away. The muggleborn child had stood indecisively, unsure whether to disown his parents or stand up for them; and now he took the handle of his father's wheelchair proudly. Krait went over.

"Would it be impolite to ask the nature of your disability?" she asked the muggle.

He blinked.

"You know, since I've been stuck in this damn chair, you're the first person who hasn't assumed that physical disability also robs wits and asks my wife 'what's wrong with him' as though I can't answer for myself? Thank you, Miss…."

"Madam Malfoy" said Krait "It's my maiden name but as my husband also teaches at Hogwarts I don't use my married name because it gets confusing. Your boy will be in the same year as two of our wards; he may as well go and say hello, and there's a selection of other first years there too."

The boy looked questions, received a nod and ran over to Krait's gaggle, busy trying to eavesdrop on Severus's scathing comments to the cauldron salesman and his wonder cauldron.

"You ask what's wrong; I'm a builder by trade, I had a bad fall and my back's too badly damaged to work any more – or even walk more than a step or two" said the man, bitterly.

"Have the healers at St Mungo's seen it?" asked Krait.

"I beg your pardon?" said the man's wife.

"St Mungo's is the wizarding hospital; I can't make any promises, healing is not a speciality of mine, but it's worth while checking if your back can be healed by spells" said Krait "It's from an accident with no curses involved so I can't see there'd be any problem. I'll ask someone to call on you and take you if you like; it's in wizarding space like this."

"Why – how kind!" said the man. "My name's Adler, Jeremy Adler, Anne my wife; our son is Gabriel. I must say I'm impressed by the level of care we've received, though that other child's…insults? Were upsetting."

"Oh we have our share of racists" said Krait cheerfully "Especially as we're now taking goblins, hags and potentially house elves too…we have a half leshy and a half veela and frankly I think it's the person who counts, not their race or blood status. Jackman is a little limited I'm afraid; you may have been told we just had a bit of a war to defeat those who would have stopped your Gabriel from coming to Hogwarts at all. Just ignore them; it has more dignity. Anyway, excuse me; I have a gaggle of bratlings to keep out of trouble…."

Lucius had moved on and was chatting to Colonel Anastasius Smith, the squib who had helped train the MSHG in some of their military endeavours. He was visiting his parents, who ran the secondhand book shop; and was used to unkind comments about squibs from people unaware how much he had achieved in the muggle world. Lucius knew; and had some understanding too, and Krait could see people rapidly reassessing Colonel Smith if Lucius Malfoy was civil to him and stopped to pet Sergeant Wilkins, Smith's cat.

Krait had acquired a few more Weasleys in the persons of Colin and his sister Alice, who he was rapidly introducing to other potential new ones; their cousin Persis Beck was there too, and they all went off in search of Lynx Black Weasley. She had found another lad to talk to as well and it seemed the first years were well on the way to forming mini gangs already, and the phrase 'Muggle Studies Hobby Group' was being bandied about.

Krait was a great believer in fostering friendships before Hatting and then encouraging inter house friendships afterwards. Young Lynx's friend Fabian was saying something about one parent from Hufflepuff and one from Ravenclaw so perhaps at last there might be a bit more of a breakthrough into the supercilious Ravenclaw crowd.

The shopping was no more of a nightmare than usual. Mr Flourish – unless it was Mr Blott – decided to draw wand on Annis with a

"Hey, we don't need your sort in here with your filthy hands!"

Krait stepped forward.

"I think you'll find the child's hands are perfectly clean; and as she's here to buy her new term's books she really rather needs to be in here."

"Hags? Hags at Hogwarts? Whatever next! As if Goblins weren't bad enough…smelly little thieves…."

Krait raised her voice.

"Right kids, drop your books wherever you are, everyone out….we'll get our books at Smith's from now on."

There were assorted CRASHes as her gaggle took her at her word; as did several other, older students who were fans of Madam Malfoy.

The proprietor [whichever one it was] was saying,

"But…but….."

The exodus of children met Lucius Malfoy going the other way. He blinked at the tide of children.

"Krait? Are you running a riot?"

"Kind of" said Krait "I don't like racists….we're buying books from Smiths in future."

"Ah? Then I believe I may join you…or rather, follow your example. In a quieter period" said Lucius, wondering how Krait intended fitting all those children in the cramped secondhand book store.

Krait managed it by arranging them into years, finding out which electives those old enough to have electives would have, and went in to bring books out.

The Smiths were delighted to have the custom.

"We Malfoys will be switching to your shop in future" said Krait "Can you order in new textbooks for next year?"

"Well…it's an awful outlay, you have to buy a minimum number, and Flourish and Blotts have most of them…." Said Mr Smith.

"What if I subsidise the expense and you either pay me back later or take me as a sleeping partner?" said Krait.

They exchanged looks.

"Well…. In that case Madam Malfoy, we could afford to take the risk if you'd be happy as a sleeping partner….after all, we don't think our son wants to keep the business when we retire, so you might then wish to buy us out? Professor Snape has always been a good customer…."

"Then that's settled" said Krait "Have your accountant draw up a business agreement and I'll sign it when it's ready. You use Grutch don't you? He's very reliable."

"Yes, he's a good man" said Mrs Smith " – goblin, rather."

"We'll have to build upwards to expand but that's no problem" said Mr Smith, planning for the future.

With books sorted out and all that was needed for potions, quills and parchment – and several biros too from the WHSmith in the nearest tube station – they were getting on well.

After seeing to the purchase of owls for whichever of the children she had collected wanted them, and the purchase of school robes and uniform for the new ones and those of her older ones, notably Erich and Romulus, who had been busy growing out of theirs, and David too, Krait declared it time for an icecream in Florean Fortescue's.

There were other children in there, and a couple of mothers who were being so icily polite to each other their enmity was apparent. Krait could not bothered to find out why; it was amazing how an excess of children could sap the natural inclination to nosiness!

One of the women asked bitchily,

"Are all these yours? You don't look like a Weasley woman."

Krait regarded her with disfavour.

"Alas, although apparently the strain means I look as old as you, I've not had a chance to breed more than two of my own…but my husband and I have several wards. And of course nice children attract friends so we have my appearance as the pied piper of Hamelin. Your child appears to be quite alone I notice."

The woman sniffed.

"Well I'd not want MY little girl associating with all and sundry; I see hags and goblins in here actually talking to your children…but I suppose it's your own lookout. Who were you by the way?"

Krait gave her a flat unfriendly stare.

"I'm Madam Malfoy; Madam Krait Malfoy. And you had better warn your child not to make racist comments such as you have been uttering when she is in my class or she will take the consequences. Now, you were continuing to contaminate my breathing air why?"

And she turned away.

"Dear me, Merele, have you managed to annoy one of your precious wealthy and powerful Malfoys? How sad" said the other mother.

"And your child is….?" Asked Krait.

"This is Rupert…..Rupert Granville" said the woman "No, it's not a wizarding name, I married a muggle and he's been a most excellent husband and father."

"I'm glad to hear it" said Krait. "I don't do blood status. That poor little girl is going to have a hard time of it if she doesn't learn better than her mother."

"Her name's Romneya…The surname's Coulter now I think, her and her husband Slytherin's Slytherin."

"No, that's me" said Krait. "And I claim a better insight into my ancestor Salazar Slytherin than the half baked little racists that missed several points and a few lessons in basic humanity. Well well, we shall see. Your lad might as well introduce himself to my lot; you can't tell race or blood status under a layer of exploding lemon sherbet icecream anyway."

There was one other moment of excitement; not all the children wanted owls so they visited the Magical Menagerie. The proprietor was busy serving them when Krait noticed a small child who must have escaped from her parents toddling up to the boa constrictor tank.

"Fnake" said the babe; and then hissed off a rattle of parseltongue before climbing nimbly into the tank with the snake, chatting happily.

The witch in charge of the shop screamed.

"Leave this to me" said Krait, lapsing into parseltongue herself.

""My scaly friend, I do not wish to harm you but I must deprive you of the little warm one…my child, you are not allowed in there"" she added, lifting the babe out. She was no older than Lilith. "What's your name?"

The babe regarded her thoughtfully. The lady likes snakes too, so she decided to answer.

"B'yony" she said.

"Bryony! What a pretty name! Now where are mummy and daddy?"

"Be'ind ve wall" said Bryony.

"Hmm" said Krait "Well, let's go look for them shall we? Severus, you have the conn…"

"NOT an enviable position…. I was trying to slouch through shopping unnoticed."

"Like every other father in Diagon Alley…. I'll be back."

Those who were MSHG already shouted,

"HASTA LA VISTA BABY!"

Krait exited Diagon Alley to find some very upset parents looking frantically for their little girl, with very little practical help from the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron who was wishing the muggles and their disappearing offspring elsewhere. They must be sensitives to even see it. Krait debated telling them the truth and decided to leave it for now.

"Excuse me, but does this child belong to you?" she asked

There were glad cries of delight at being reunited with their little one.

"Where was she?" asked an exhausted mother.

"Oh she'd got out back and through a fence… I looked for holes my own daughter could get through, as they're of an age, and tracked back" said Krait with smooth mendacity. "Up from Norfolk for the day?"

"Yes, is the accent so obvious?"

"I have relatives from the region" said Krait, without too much stretching of the truth. Not if one counted Salazar Slytherin, anyway: and Krait did. She wanted to lie as little as possibly; small Bryony would likely be coming to Hogwarts. "Tell me, are you related to Crispin D'aubrey?"

"I don't know the name" said Bryony's father "But we do have D'aubreys on the family tree."

"Our name is Nuffield" said the woman.

"Well, best of luck getting home with this young Houdini!" laughed Krait "And if she decides she wants a pet snake it's because she was busy making friends with mine."

"Don't they carry meningitis?" asked the man.

"Only Coral snakes I think; and only if they're imported. If they're bred in this country they're quite safe" said Krait.

If the child had a pet snake of her own it might stop her trying to find other snakes and maybe getting into trouble!

At last all her charges and their friends were ready, outfitted, provided with equipment and books and ready for a new term's hard work.

Krait treated them all to a meal in Belcher and Goodtime's restaurant; and since the proprietors had heard what had happened in Flourish and Blott's and had more sense – and did not wish to lose a customer like Lucius Malfoy – they came out themselves before any waiter could make an adverse remark and saw all the children seated tenderly and served with Krait's suggestion of 'a whole lot of indigestible finger food and I'll have the steak with stilton please'.

Next day would be the day to board the Hogwarts express; and Krait smiled to herself wondering how many children would find it difficult to sleep tonight from excitement!

And how many David Fraser would have to discover and bring to where they were supposed to be – in his capacity this term as a prefect too, as was Grace!

And there would have to be a new head boy or girl with Draco left.

Krait thought Ginny Weasley would do very well; she must suggest it to Grace and David if they had not already thought of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

David frowned to himself.

He hoped there would be no problems this year with the new kids since he had responsibilities as a prefect to elect a new head girl – or boy, he supposed. David never had any doubts over who should be head, Ginny Weasley was the obvious choice to his mind, even allowing for his partisan nature as a Gryffindor.

He'd have the support of two Slytherin prefects, he thought, Abigail and Emmeline Greengrasse, who had cause to trust any of the Bloodgroup; and Ginny was the only one of her age group to be in the Bloodgroup anyway, and therefore bore the lightning scar. Most people, even most of the MSHG did not know exactly how it had come about that some of them, even some quite young children, bore the lightning scar; but they did know that it meant that those people had resisted the Killing Curse and so were to be treated with respect as being part of the team that killed Voldemort. David was gazed it in awe and not a little fear by new children, as he had been last year; though the vicissitudes of making sure Mary-Anne Green arrived safely had taken his mind off that. She had been early this year – by a full hour; her father had altered the clocks on the wrong weekend, but had altered them the wrong way, which was just as well since otherwise she would have been late by an hour. David rang Mr Green to explain all this to him and hoped that the little girl's pleasant but extremely dreamy parent would get it right.

He was also beamed at by Cleonie Puckeridge, another Hufflepuff child, who he had rescued from kidnap by her muggle father to send to a muggle school. Cleonie was wont to follow David around a bit like a puppy, and congratulated him enthusiastically on his appointment as prefect.

She had a bit of a crush on him; but it was a child's crush, for she admired Ellie too, and it was harmless. And if her efforts to help him could end in near disaster – usually when she dropped things she was carrying for him – well, that was life and she was a nice child and it was difficult to be cross with one so eager!

The young man and group of five boys milling around were a bit of an irritation; David never liked muggles getting too close while wizarding children went through the wall onto the platform. One of the boys, who had charge of a trolley with luggage, was following the Weasley children. The muggle child with bright red hair, as bright as it could get and still be natural, followed straight on behind Mr Perceval Weasley with Colin and Alice; and one of his class mates followed him.

The young man and his other three charges stared in disbelief. As well they might. David, forbidden wand work, silently called for help from Severus, and nipped through the barrier himself to accost the unexpected muggles.

"What do you boys want here?" said David severely "Your train leaves from platform five!"

"Sure, and didn't I only want tu follow the strange lookin' fella and his kids" explained the child with the trolley "And wasn't it the strangest t'see them disappear and I'm thinkin', either they're ghosteses or the little people or there's somethin' even funnier goin' on. So I follered them so I did."

"And didn't I foller him follerin' them?" said the other lad.

"Well you aren't supposed to be here" said David.

"Are ye sure I can't stay?" asked the trolley pusher hopefully "It's only bein' got rid of t' school that I am by me uncle, so he can fiddle the accounts and steal me inheritance, and it's av no moment t'him what school I'm at and sure, I might as well be at an interestin' one f'sure."

"Well I'm thinkin m'father wouldn't want me at a school f'weirdos, so now I've looked I'll be leavin' if it's all the same t'you" said the other boy, a little nervous of a wand duel going on between the Malfoy twins.

"What a good idea" said David. "Here, you, if you're staying, grab your trunk; and you, push the trolley out, be decisive mind as you walk at the wall."

The second boy being removed, and a quick hiss of Parseltongue to tell Severus that they had acquired someone who was at least a sensitive, he left the Potions Master to confund the young schoolmaster and his charges into forgetting what they had seen or that there had been five boys along.

Severus went to see the other.

"So you're an orphan and you can see magical things" he said grimly.

"Sure, and don't I chat to the little folk in the meadow?" said the boy. "I'm in the wind, as y' might say sir; not wantin' ter be away but if I must, I'd like t'learn magic if I may t'take back what is mine when me uncle's finished stealin' av it."

"And your name is?"

"Teague O'Toole av Ballyconny" said the boy "And strictly it's Lord Teague, but ut seems a bit o' baggage ter take tu school, so it does."

"It is indeed" said Severus "But I'm glad you told me because I shall need to verify who you are; and if your uncle is stealing; and if so, take appropriate measures on your behalf."

"Sure, and will ye ensorcel him tu go through loife with his feet on backwards and his ears like an ass?" said Teague with enthusiastic approval.

Severus laughed.

"Tempting though that may be, I shall be more likely either to have him locked away by the muggle – non wizarding – authorities; or borrow several boggarts, poltergeists and ghosts to frighten him off your property so hard he never comes back. I'm not allowed to attack muggles using magic; it's against our laws. I can hit him hard, but then I get done for common assault under muggle law. But you can invite any ghosts and such to spend time in your home; such is your right."

Teague grinned.

"Sure and doesn't the thought of him fleein' through the night with his belly jigglin' over the top av his stripey pyjamas do me heart the world o' good!" he said.

Severus dumped the boy on his own set of charges and went to supervise the prefects getting together to vote.

David had boarded the train; everyone had come through the barrier as they were supposed to with the one addition in the person of Teague.

And Colin Weasley still nearly missed the train, being too busy gassing to cousins still too young to join him and Persis and Alice that he had to run for it and jump, being dragged bodily onboard by his robes by Jasper Crouch Jones.

Alice made much of having been on board properly; and Colin threatened to show her what happened to overly smug weevils of first years.

The term 'weevil' for a first year was deemed so appropriate to others listening that it stuck; and would enter the school's own slang.

Teague was soon as thick as thieves with Jem, Erwin, Senagra, Alice Weasley, a girl called Salvia Pippin who was another grandaughter of Madame Spikenard and hence a cousin of Jasmine, the 'hagglings' as Senagra dubbed Annis and Beth, Lynx and her friends Fabian, Gabriel and Rupert.

"More than enough for one house" said Erwin seriously "Though there's sometimes as many as a dozen in one year; normally it's about nine or ten to each house."

"It's an old hand ye are then?" asked Teague.

"My half brother's in the fifth" said Erwin "And my guardian's a professor there, the one that accepted you in fact. I live in the school building without joining in meals but you find things out. Jem is also Professor Snape's ward. He has a number; my half-brother is his adopted son but our mother is also still alive, so my sister and I we are but wards."

"Will we be likely to be in the same house then for being friends?" asked Annis timidly.

"Not necessarily" said Jem seriously "The Sorting Hat chooses what house you are in, though they do say your own choice can make a difference. Madam Malfoy was said to be clever enough for Ravenclaw, brave enough for Gryffindor, hard working enough for Hufflepuff and ambitious enough for Slytherin; but she was Professor Snape's ward too at the time and she chose his house 'cos he's head of Slytherin."

"Are you choosing Slytherin then if you have the choice?" asked Lynx.

"No I don't think so" said Jem "I think I'm more Gryffish; ready to get into trouble and a bit impulsive. Reckon you're a bit Gryffish too, Teague."

"I want to be a Slytherin with Hawke Malfoy because he's cute" said Lynx.

"So's Rom Snape but I think I'm more of a Gryff like my brother" said Senagra. "It doesn't matter; my brother and Abrax Malfoy are Gryffs and the other Marauders are Slythers so you can have good cross house friendships."

She then had to explain all about the Marauders.

"How do we get to be one?" demanded Lynx.

"I think we wait to get invited to be the next generation after impressing them" said Senagra. "You game to try?"

"Am I not! Anyone else?"

Annis said,

"I don't want to be a wet blanket, but as I got a scholarship I guess I really ought to concentrate on not letting Professor Snape down – and that goes for my sister too" she added firmly.

Beth nodded.

"I don't think I'm a Marauder type anyway" she said "It sounds a little scary and uncomfortable."

"And sure, I suppose I ought to work too – at the first at least – fer bein' given the chance tu come" said Teague "But it's interested I'll be in yer doings and a willin' conspirator!"

"My Grandmother will know if I'm up to anything" said Salvia "Which is the downside of having seers in the family. But I think I'm not really the type."

"Nor me, not really" said Gabriel.

"Well, I'll think about it" said Alice "It's sort of a Weasley thing to do, my cousin Ron was in the generation before of Marauders with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and later Draco Malfoy. I got told some of the stories."

"And you must tell us" said Lynx "But Erwin, Jem, Rupert, Fabian, you haven't spoken!"

"No, I do not like the foolish risks to take" said Erwin.

"Nor I" said Rupert "I don't mind bucking authority if it needs bucking but not just for shits and giggles you know; and my dad would be so disappointed if I got expelled. Unless it was for something worthwhile like standing up to someone like Voldemort."

"I wouldn't mind" said Jem "Though I don't want to let Professor Snape down….and I'm the oldest so I've responsibilities to the little ones….but I'm definitely interested."

"Me too I guess" said Fabian "I say, do you have to go into a house your parents were in?"

"Not hardly" said Jem "Why Professor Black was a Gryffindor and all his family had always been Slythers; and Grace Snape is a Gryff though her dad's a Slyther and the Malfoy twins are in different houses."

"Good" said Fabian seriously "'Cos my mum was a Hufflepuff and my dad was a Ravenclaw and I know I'm not clever enough to be a Ravenclaw and I don't feel much like a Huffer."

Lynx giggled.

"You can be in Slytherin like I mean to be" she said "Never been a Weasley in Slytherin before; that'll be a gas!"

"Cuh, that'll go down like a ton of dragon dung!" said Alice Weasley cheerfully.

They were interrupted by a couple of bigger girls who decided it would be about the right time to rag the younger ones, and gleefully took in the fact that there were two hags and a goblin and started making ugly jokes. Romneya Coulter was along laughing sycophantically and making her own comments about goblins and hags too.

Alice did a little bit of surreptitious wand work while the others started shouting.

"Reckon you want to look in a mirror before you call other people ugly!" Alice piped.

The older girls laughed – briefly – then looked at each other. And looked again in horror.

Alice had covered them in warts and festering pustules.

"Cousin Ginny has some excellent hexes" she said complacently "Now, get lost or I'll let loose the bat bogey hex!"

The would-be bullies fled.

Ginny's bat bogey hex was justly notorious; and neither Parnassus nor Mourne wanted it cast on them if her young cousin was even half as talented!

Jem, Senagra, Erwin, Salvia, Alice, Annis and Teague all ended up in Gryffindor.

Lynx, Fabian and Gabriel were in Slytherin, as was the child Romneya Coulter whose mother Krait had annoyed in the ice cream parlour.

Rupert and Beth were Hufflepuffs and perfectly satisfied to be so.

The ghosts attended the arrival and Hatting of course; and the Bloody Baron went into a serious huff when Lynx stuck out her tongue at him. It made him even rougher with Peeves than usual, walking through the poltergeist without warning when he was pulling faces.

The new head girl was announced; and Ginny Weasley had been chosen almost as overwhelmingly as Draco had been two years before. Ginny would only serve a year, but it was generally reckoned that she was a sufficiently class act to follow one of the best head boys the school had ever had.

Not everyone was delighted by new choices of prefect.

Pritchard and Baddock, two Slytherin of David's year who had always disliked him for his friendships with three other Slytherin of their year who were in the MSHG, decided to catch him out in a deadfall of well-rotted dragon dung to bring him down a peg or two. They hid to watch the results; but David, on his way up to Gryffindor Tower was waylaid by Cleonie Puckeridge with a plaintive request to look at her owl that seemed unwell. Having stopped long enough to assure her that her pet was merely moulting, David arrived just in time to see Sirius Black caught in the deadfall.

"YOU TWO!" he roared.

"We seen who did it!" said Baddock hastily "It was that new kid" he pointed at Alice Weasley.

"Oy!" said Alice.

Sirius crooked a finger to her and stared into her eyes.

"Very well, hop it to bed little'un" he said "You two…."

"We never!" said Pritchard

"And the lie written large upon your faces? Now clear it up - no wands – and be thankful I do not make you use your tongues….and you will report for detention every night for a week for the house elves to show you how to wash clothes manually. It may teach you the value of cleanliness" said Sirius.

"But… If we don't use wands we shall smell!" said Pritchard.

"EXACTLY" said Sirius "I smell; I don't see why you shouldn't too. And be thankful too to have been caught by a professor; if you'd caught out Mad dog Fraser I wager he'd have been far less gentle, not being bound by the same rules a professor is over duty of care to you. Right, Fraser?"

David gave a grim smile.

"I guess I could've called in a favour from Charlie Weasley to let them help him collect fresh dragon dung from a brooding female" he said. "He's got a Hungarian Horntail with a clutch right now."

The bullies were horrified.

"See?" said Sirius "Now go and get cloths – no, open the windows first, this corridor smells like Voldemort's old socks!"

There were a few departures from the usual rituals at the beginning of term.

When Professor Dumbledore read out Argus Filch's proscribed list – it now contained all of Garjala's inventions – he added that though Mr Filch would be confiscating in the usual fashion any items left lying about, he would permit those who had lost their kit to purchase it back at an initial rate of one sickle for five items; and after half term one sickle each. At the end of the school year, any unclaimed lost property would be sold off if the offender had not bothered to collect it. The fines and sale fees, the Headmaster explained, was to go to a worthy cause, that of educating squibs to the limit of their ability, and he felt sure that everyone would appreciate the excellence of the cause.

Some did; some did not.

It did mean that at least lost property could be retrieved!

As everyone seemed to think that Professor Snape was the real thing, it was to him that Lynx took Romneya Coulter when she found the girl howling on her bed having missed half her classes and with her face a mass of peeling patches.

Lynx had extracted from the girl that she had a skin condition that had been fine for several years but the pressures had made it break out again. The reason – apart from her family's casual racism – that Romneya so hated hags and goblins was because a friend of her mother had passed the remark that the child should be kept out of sight in case anyone thought she was a hag or even a goblin. Her older sister Karlinna poked constant fun, and she and her friend Lana Porteous had been teasing Romneya to be sure and not get mistaken for one of the hags.

"Oh THEM" said Severus. "I have some ointment that will soothe it and make it better; I brew it for Wido Mordaunt who has a similar condition. To my mind there is only one kind of being that is inferior in any fashion, Miss Coulter."

"Wh-what's that sir?"

"The racist" he said. "If I were you I should ignore all the things your mother and her friends have said about hags and goblins and look at them with your own eyes. Hags are of the fey and their looks therefore, unless they use magic to disguise themselves, reflect their nature to some extent. They tend to haggard faces and large noses but the expressions on those faces may be revealing. Hags require a certain amount of raw meat to live; some, through having been marginalised by the wizarding world target children to eat as a revenge. Others do not. They are not pretty by human standards; but a happy and contented hag is a sight better looking than a sneering discontented bitch whatever the fortuitous arrangement of her features. As to goblins, they are just different. One cannot say they are ugly; or beautiful in the main, though there are ugly goblins and attractive ones. Senagra I would rather describe as 'cute' but if you ever tell her so I'll have you gutting horned toads for a week….she doesn't lack self confidence and I'd hate to boost her over into cheeky. You have a new start at school; you must needs ignore your sister and the gang she runs with, they are negligible; even Voldemort didn't want them. Come to the MSHG in the mornings and learn strategies for standing up for yourself. Miss Weasley here…"

"It's BLACK Weasley sir" interrupted Lynx.

Severus glared.

"It's Weasley" he said "I have better ways to waste my time than struggling over unnecessary double barrelled names; and you're more Weasley than Black to my mind. And as I was saying, you and your little gang will watch out for Miss Coulter I'm sure; you already made acquaintance with the Marauders and they are enemies of old of Miss Porteous and her gang, which is why Miss Porteous keeps her distance from them. Far be it for me to recommend such forbidden items as Self-exploding bed-Spreads or even the old fashioned but effective jelly in the slippers of course; but bullies usually stop bullying once the level of retaliation exceeds their level of enjoyment. Now use this night and morning for at least a week and then if your skin feels dry or irritated. And for your cheek, Miss Weasley, you are to go to the library with this note from me and copy out at least ten hexes and counter jinxes."

Lynx beamed at him.

"Yes sir!" she said happily.

She somehow doubted if she and Romneya Coulter were ever going to be good friends but at least they might get on now. And she would put up with partnering the girl in some lessons for that too.

Severus sighed.

Somehow he had the feeling that Lynx Black Weasley was going to be one of these ubiquitous children like Harry and the Malfoy Twins who were simultaneously good at being where it was needed for them to be and yet always where they shouldn't be.

He had a strongly foreboding feeling he was seeing the nascence of another Marauder.

Well, if there were a constant supply if foes such as Odessa and the Daone Sidhe, it was perhaps as well if Hogwarts could produce a constant stream of marauders.

And he was already pretending not to know that the New Marauders – the senior Marauders, he suddenly realised now Harry and co had left – were prancing around on the rooftops looking for secret stairways or some such.

Whether they found any or not, it would keep them out of more serious mischief anyway. Like deciding to visit Durmstrang using the mirror as a visualisation to use the bloodgroup elven apparating skills.

He shuddered at the thought.

Besides, Abrax needed something to keep his mind off the forthcoming ritual with Myrtle.

The boy had visited her parents – and bless him, had paid respects at the stone angel set to her memory in the graveyard – and had persuaded them he was not mad and asked them to visit Myrtle and take part in the ceremony, where at least they could say goodbye if she was sucked through the veil. Myrtle had apparently visited them as a ghost before she was bound for haunting Olive Hornby so drastically to the toilet where she had died; and her parents had always resented the Ministry of Magic for that edict.

Abraxus was able to describe how his cousin Krait helped by him and his brother and friends, were haunting Olive Hornby all over with muggle tricks that she did not understand.

All the muggle repellent spells on Madame Hornby's house could not turn away young witches and wizards; but they could still use ordinary lockpicks and muggle methods without being punished for underage magic. The witch, no more pleasant now than she had been when she was picking on Myrtle, and indeed a one time supporter of Dolores Umbridge, had been dumbfounded by such simple tricks as blackface soap, glue on the toilet seat, dead fish inserted in her bed springs, chilli juice in her underwear and great burdock juice in her face creams.

Dumbledore had received a visit from the Spectre Inspector to check that Myrtle was still confined since Olive Hornby could not perceive any way the tricks could have been played save by ghostly magic as no wand magic could be detected.

That it was no magic at all had not crossed her mind; and she had not yet even found the fish that Krait had left one holiday some years previously.

Abrax had renewed them since, in case they were getting too benign.

And dead fish do not cease smelling however expensive the goblin curse breaker called in may be.

Mr and Mrs Carmichael, Myrtle's parents, were less interested in the haunting of Olive Hornby than the fact that someone cared enough to do it. They laughed and wept and took Abrax to their hearts.

Severus hoped it would work.

He did not see why it should not; they would work under conditions far more favourable than those when restoring Voldemort.

It was only the length of time she had been insubstantial that concerned him.

But her parents still lived, both of them; and there was in that enough magic, for children did not ought to die before their parents, therefore it was 'natural' that she should still be alive and demonstrably so in her own mind. And it was Myrtle's mind that was important in her own ability to re-adapt to solidity. To be able to hug her mother was probably psychologically more than to be able to hug a boyfriend. To her time did not pass as it did for the living; it was all much of an endless round. Watching Harry and his friends grow up, and with them treating her kindly had been a first step, being in touch with the passage of years through her friendship with them, and perhaps awakening a deeply hidden desire to grow up with them. Her friendship with the other bloodgroupers and active participation against Voldemort had also helped her to associate herself more with them than with the other ghosts. Her romantic attachment to Abraxus, now almost exactly her own age at death was most important of all; and Krait had decided to time the ceremony to the second when Abrax was the same age Myrtle had been when she died.

It might be argued that on the anniversary of her death was better; but Krait felt that the sacrifice would take better if the age were taken into account.

Krait had a feel for ceremony as he had a feel for chanting. She was rarely wrong. She had argued Professor Vector into changing the closing of the accidental gate to Basingstoke station by seven and a half minutes.

That had gone perfectly.

She had used the train that had taken bits of poor old Binnsey away almost like that muggle device, a zip fastener.

Her reasoning was sometimes obscure; but it worked.

Severus suddenly wanted to take his wife to bed.

He decided that there was no other call upon his time; and proceeded, to Krait's delight, to do just that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The New Marauders were a little tired in the morning having been assiduous in their efforts to fix eyelets as rappelling points, pulleys for rope bridges and such. They were elated to have found a trapdoor that did not go anywhere – or rather, a trapdoor that had once gone somewhere but with the fitting of new roof beams below it in some rebuilding phase had left a nice accessible space some four feet deep for the storage of ropes, ready made bridges, spare brooms and other such STUFF as they pronounced the capitals happily. It meant that they might store their illicit equipment near to where it was needed instead of having to try to smuggle it up each time; and that made life much easier.

It had been a bit of a shock however, having to hide behind a chimney when sharp-eyed Hawke hissed

"Cave!" because of the approaching flying carpet, manned by a single passenger.

Being tired it took a moment or two for then to register that there was a new member of staff at the staff table.

"It's the man on the carpet!" hissed Willow.

The Slytherin Marauders eyed the newcomer with renewed interest; he had manoeuvred the carpet with some considerable skill.

Professor Dumbledore introduced the newcomer.

"This is Professor Assim Khan who was a trifle delayed and unable to reach us before last night. He has however arrived in time to take the first years in their taster classes of comparative magic and the classes of those of you who have picked it as an elective. We at Hogwarts are pleased to be offering an ever expanding curriculum; I am sure many of your parents have asked, mystified, what such studies as comparative magic, geomancy and chanting may be; and we hope you will enjoy your expanded range of electives."

He sat down and Professor Khan stood up, looking around with piercing amber eyes, that rested briefly on each of the Marauders.

"Was it full moon on the first night of term?" muttered Romulus.

"Y'mean he couldn't come 'cos he's another werewolf?" asked Hawke "I dunno."

"No it's full moon tonight" said Willow who was a better arithmancer than any of the Marauders except Kinat, and took notice of such things. Romulus was taking Arithmancy as an elective but held that such things as moonrise times and the phases were things that could always be looked up in books and that's what almanacs were for.

Professor Khan addressed the school briefly. He was a handsome man of unfathomable age – over twenty and under forty was as close as Willow could get – with a mahogany coloured skin and shoulder length black hair with a sheen like smoke. Several of the older girls were frankly purring.

"Hogwarts is a justly famous school and I am honoured to have the chance to teach here" he began "I hope that some at least of you will enjoy my subject; for I find it fascinating that different peoples with different traditions approach the way they manipulate magic in different ways. If Professor Dumbledore will indulge me a moment?"

"Oh please; I think even those who are not taking the elective will be interested" said Dumbledore.

"Thank you" said Professor Khan "You know something of the power of names, as evidenced by the protective euphemistic references to the late self-styled Lord Voldemort – calling him 'You-know-who' in answer to the question on the Hufflepuff table over what a euphemism is – but in the Finnish tradition, magic requires the use of naming for all effects. There is something of that in the accepted laws of transfiguration where a Guinea fowl is easily changeable into a guinea pig and vice versa; but it is more formalised in Finland. In the Middle East, the summoning of spirits to cause effects is the main tradition; spirits that you know as the fey, who may be benign or malicious but are all capricious and who must be bound by a contract to perform one or more tasks. Parts of Africa and the Caribbean have loa, great spirits, from whom they believe they get some at least of their power. They have a tradition of using inferii and ghosts to undertake tasks. And this is just a start. Those who take the elective will study other traditions in depth and even have an opportunity to perform magic using other traditions. I look forward to making closer acquaintance with some of you and leading you through the strange paths of the minds of wizards with a different mindset to that of Western Europe."

He received an ovation; the school was interested, and some people who had not taken the elective were beginning to wonder if they should have done!

Hawke raised a hand.

Dumbledore nodded and he rose politely.

"Sir, will we also be looking at the different forms of magic performed by human, goblin, elf, sidhe and other magical races?" he asked.

"Hrrrrr; A good point" said Professor Khan "And I can only answer; that I will teach all I know. Other races often guard the way they do magic very jealously and it is another reason I wished to come to Hogwarts where other races are welcomed, in the hope that this will foster a greater spirit of co-operation and the forging of greater things through the syntheses of different types of magic."

"Five points to Slytherin for an intelligent question" said Dumbledore.

Hawke had in fact decided to take comparative magic as an elective, as had Abraxus; they had assumed it would be the study of different racial magics but this would be more interesting yet! It was perhaps a shame Kinat had not taken the elective – assuming the same as them, he had thought it unnecessary since he could learn Goblin magic from relatives, and had an insight into elf magic through the bloodgroup. He went to see Professor Khan after breakfast, fighting his way past several giggling girls and saying,

"Excuse me sir!" loud enough to be noticed.

As he had hoped the new professor was glad of an excuse to escape coy welcomes to the school.

"Can I help you lad?" he said.

"Yessir, I hope so" said Kinat "I didn't take your elective because I'm afraid I made a false assumption that it'd be about non human magic and I could kinda extract stuff about that from relatives; only now I'm sorry I didn't but I want to do my other subjects too. I don't approve of using time-turners to fit in doubling up on classes, but three of my friends are doing it, so if I read their notes and turn in the homework, may I give it a chance? Ellie takes very good notes even if the Malfoy twins write like an acromantula running through an inkpot trying to escape a basilisk."

Khan blinked.

"Hrrr" he said; a purry, growly sound "Well it's always nice to have more people interested in my subject" he said "I think that we should give it a try Mr er.."

"Gan Konal, sir, Kinat Gan Konal"

"Well Mr Gan Konal, I should think the best thing we can do is to give it a trial and see how you get on this term; and I shall try to give you tutorials out of school time to check your progress as well as by seeing what you write in your essays. If it seems that you are unable to assimilate enough to make it worth while sitting the OWL, I shall be brutally frank. We shall review at the end of term. How many other OWLs are you hoping to take?"

"Ten, sir. And thank you; I'm quite happy with brutally frank."

"Ten? And you still want to take an eleventh? If I didn't know you and your friends had a healthy disregard for breaking bounds I'd start making noises about all work and no play!"

Kinat grinned.

"Oh we seem to manage to find the time to get into trouble as well as get our work in; none of us is expecting to get straight 'O's across the board, if we get four or five from our better subjects we'll be very happy with the results, but most professors only ask for 'E' for NEWTs so we planned to give up nefarious activities for the exams that count and enjoy ourselves with fun subjects as our extras and plenty of uh, extra curricular activity."

"And what subjects are the important ones, if I may ask?"

"The ones that give us the option to be aurors" said Kinat without hesitation.

Khan nodded.

"I believe you must be one of the Marauders; Professor Dumbledore has mentioned you, and that he considers your er, extra curricular activities almost equal training for your chosen careers. I will of course be strict should I catch you at it in my capacity as a professor. Which I was not, last night. You are warned."

Kinat grinned.

"Thanks sir, you're a sport!"

"For saying I will punish you?"

"No sir, for accepting that we'll do it anyway and giving us due warning!"

"You are a startlingly honest young man."

"For a goblin sir?" there was an edge to his voice.

"No: for a fourteen year old" said Khan. "Never lose that; though it may get you into trouble. Now hop of to wherever you are supposed to be!"

"Yessir!" said Kinat, hopping.

Being Kinat he decided to take the command literally.

Khan laughed ruefully and shook his head. The Head had warned him that some of the young people he would be teaching had already faced tests against Voldemort that would make OWLs and even NEWTs look childish in comparison; and that they would bear the mental marks of that, which would make them act in a way that could be taken as cheek if one was not aware that they had done things most adult wizards would be afraid to do, indeed that most adult wizards HAD been afraid to do which is how it came to pass that juveniles had been a major part of the group that had defeated the dark wizard and his minions.

It had been a lot to take on; but now he saw what Dumbledore meant. The boy Kinat had an almost adult assurance that could easily be taken as cheek especially by anyone who were prejudiced against goblins and took it as bravado. He was glad he had been warned in advance or he might have suspected Kinat's motives.

It might be rather good fun here as well as instructive!

Severus had sent Beloc to verify Teague O'Toole of Ballyconny's bona fides and the elf had discovered that he was indeed the lord of an obscure Irish barony, and that his uncle was indeed doing his best to get hold of as much as he might of the boy's wealth. Beloc took a deep exception to the fellow and his attitude; and his rudeness to servants and estate workers alike in his assumption of the rights of the lord of the manor without the proper air of being a gentleman to go with his contumelious assumptions. He returned to Severus with a report, including a goblin accountant's report on the accounts Beloc had temporarily liberated.

Severus called Teague into his study and asked if he wanted legal representation of the muggle kind or whether he just wanted to have his uncle haunted.

"Ef it's all the same ter you sorr, I'd be happy ter have him haunted; but then ef he can be proved ter be diddlin' me, it's in the interests av me tenants ter have him drummed off legal-like" said Teague.

"Which proves YOU have your priorities right lad" grunted Severus "I'll put the legal aspects in the hands of my friend Lucius; and if I was you, I'd make friends with Peeves and suggest he collects some friends to go cause your uncle some serious trouble."

Teague grinned. He thought Peeves was funny.

Peeves was delighted to be chatted to by a first year. Severus suggested that Willow should introduce the boy; Peeves liked Willow.

Teague outlined his problem, emphasising that his uncle was a big fat pompous git.

Peeves grinned wickedly.

"Leave it to me, young Teague!" he said "Reckon I can do you a favour, my lad!"

"Sure, and won't I be most grateful t'ye fer it" said Teague.

"But not grateful enough to put up with you taking too much advantage of it  
~

Krait was wondering if first years got steadily worse every year.

Then she decided that one child's dire efforts should not blind her to the fact that most of the class were adequate enough, better on average than the previous year so far; with several rather good ones, a Ravenclaw child named Alison Kane, Hufflepuff Emily Bates, both Beth and Annis Shipton, Jem, Senagra, Lynx and another Slytherin named Kate Rosier who kept a low profile, being the orphaned daughter of a Deatheater. Young Fabian wan't bad either. Though there were a few not yet making much of a showing there were only four who might be described as dire.

One of these was a Ravenclaw, unusual since most Ravenclaws usually managed to be at worst poor; but Achille Crouch-Villeneuve was never going to be a potioneer. It was not being half French and failing to understand; because Krait had stood over him and repeated the instructions in her fluent French. The boy was just lazy and slapdash.

Judging by a whispered and vituperative conversation he was a cousin of Lynx through her Crouch relatives and she despised him. It appeared to be a mutual feeling and Krait felt the need to hoist them to their toe tips by the ears using the prefect's curse to explain – in both languages – how much she objected to her pearls of wisdom receiving unnecessary competition from those who talked in class.

While she was doing this, one of the other dire ones, Gryffindor Alex Porter managed to burn the bottom out of his cauldron for failing to pay attention and another Gryffindor, Jake Webbe cut himself on his silver knife.

Krait sent the latter to hold his hand under the gargoyle and put out the noxious fire for the former, waving a hand at the window to open and dispelling the fumes through it.

The other dire one was Hufflepuff girl, Allia Jackson, who had already come to the attention of the powers that be by breaking out in a rash on the train. It had transpired that it was not some contagious disease but the child's own greed; for shamefaced she had admitted to eating a whole punnet of strawberries even though she knew she was allergic to them. Allia was an amiable child but somehow Krait did not see her ever making a name for herself in the wizarding world and hoped that the little girl would find something that she was good at!

Even Sephara as a squib could usually manage to summon enough magic to make a half competent potion after all!

"Well" sighed Krait "I suppose that each house with such awful would-be potioneers has at least one who has some talent to offset you. And Miss Weasley!"

"Er, Yes Madam Malfoy?" Alice was nervous for she knew she had not done well

"That's not too bad an attempt from the Weasley school of potioneering. It certainly surpasses your brother. Keep it up and if possible try to improve even."

"Yes Madam Malfoy!" said Alice, delighted to have something to surpass Colin in!

Krait sighed.

So many children, not all of them happy – the Rosier child only one of the unhappy ones – and so little time to sort them out in.

The Black-Weasley child seemed like the sort of child who was competent at sorting out however, and doubtless much could be left to her. Senagra too was a constructively interfering type; between them Krait had little doubt that most problem children would receive what they needed. And Senagra would have no qualms about asking advice from her older brother either.

Having Marauders was actually really rather useful: so long as they were kept an eye on and kept well focussed.

If only there had been something akin to the MSHG when the original Marauders had been around!

The major problems the majority of first years faced – at least those not of established wizarding blood – was Albert Jackman.

He targeted the likes of Senagra, the Haglings and any he deemed Mudbloods in particular and blood traitors like Weasleys for fun. As Gabriel was in his house he looked on the muggleborn boy as his especial toy, especially since insulting the muggleborn lad in Diagon Alley had got Jackman into trouble.

Gabriel had a surprising protector in Lionel Dell.

Dell had been thinking a lot. He did not like muggles – and he had his own reasons for that – but the muggleborn accepted into Hogwarts had performed rather well, and the duelling contest with Durmstrang had brought that home. Krait's little homily about Slytherin and the true purpose of the Basilisk had also given him furiously to think, as had his embarrassing mistakes over the level of Garjala's honesty through going by what he had heard from adults around him at home. Dell was coming to the conclusion that the muggleborn could not be blamed for having muggle parents and every help should be given them to escape the stigma of their background. It was still a warped view, but at least an improved one. And if goblins could behave with honour, then either what he had been told was wrong, or the goblins accepted at Hogwarts were exceptional and should be encouraged too.

He was still not sure how he felt about elves as future pupils, but if they had been made servile and cringing by a form of Imperius curse, then that was kind of like sending the Longbottoms insane with the Cruciatus curse and not really very fair.

Lionel Dell was no fool. And he did not want to be made a fool of by believing what other people wanted him to believe; and he knew his own family house elf was extremely capable and gently bullied his father and made sure he ate at regular times however tricky the arithmantic calculation he was involved in; and he had spoken seriously to his father, who compiled statistical reports for whoever commissioned them and discovered to his shock that statistics as published, far from being truthful, were often skewed or presented in such a way as to show what those presenting them wanted to show. Sebastien Dell was enthusiastic that the new government seemed to want to tell it as it was. He was currently working on a report for the new administration to find out what proportion of the population did not attend Hogwarts and of these how many were constrained by poverty, how many by lack of ability and how many by other reasons. He was also doing a study on the proportion of goblins and other beings in the population having been given control of a large number of census officers. Sebastien Dell had told his son that even so he would not get a true picture – and so he had told Lucius Malfoy – because plenty of people would lie because they were afraid the census report would be a means to controlling them more strictly. Lucius had shrugged and said that the populace had good reason to distrust any government and only time and the accruing of benefits to more truthful neighbours would bring about full disclosure, but that a start had to be made somewhere. Sebastien was a distant cousin of the Malfoys and told young Dell that he thought he could now rather admire Lucius. Dell had asked his father why the goblins he had met did not tally with the tales and general beliefs about goblins and the way they acted in history; and Dell senior shrugged and asked the boy who had written the histories and who had presented the statistics.

Which comment had left young Lionel rather quiet.

He also spoke to Professor Lector on the subject.

"Well now, I have interesting debates with Kinat Gan Konal on this very subject" said Professor Lector "And frankly a lot of what is written varies from exaggeration to downright fantasy and lies. But until the examining board is willing to accept that history is written by the winner and is always told – by ANY historian, however fair he may be – with his own prejudices in mind, then you students must return the answers as the book would have them. At NEWT level, further research is permissible and post NEWT one might then research all one may and write a book upon the subject. I should like to do so myself; but I like teaching here and I am concerned I might jeopardise my position if anyone believes I would teach outside of the strict curriculum. I have always tried to make you all think about the motivations that led to such things as the goblin wars; and I hold free debate once a week in the MSHG wherein we try to unravel the woolly thinking and downright lies with common sense and any evidence we can glean. You're welcome to attend."

"Thank you sir; I shall think about it" said Dell. "Isn't it wrong to teach lies?"

"If you can prove that they are; yes. But I can only suspect. There's precious little written by goblins, except the occasional rant. Goblins tend to be short tempered; and so getting anything approaching a balanced account from a defeated rebel is hard, and it is difficult to give too much credence to what is essentially a string of vituperation that can be reduced to the phrase 'it isn't fair'; even if it isn't fair. Are the goblins here exceptional? Yes. So are many of the humans. One starts with the best of the best; like the founders of the four houses. And history is in the eye of the beholder. In our eyes, Harry Potter is a hero, a freedom fighter. If he had died, the history your children would read would castigate him as a troublemaker, a warmonger and a blood traitor infected by the blood of a mudblood mother – I use the term as a deatheater historian would do - and in generations, he and his friends would be looked upon with the loathing and fear that goblins often are today by young wizards. The difference is that I think – I hope at least – that those who wrote about the goblin wars really believed their own sanctimonious twaddle and the deatheaters, whilst believing their way was right knew that they were a minority."

"Surely they could not believe it was right to set werewolves on children?"

"What they believed was that blood traitor children and those with muggle blood did not deserve to live; that they were not children but – well, less than animals I guess. I don't really want to fully understand what those sick warped individuals believed, Mr Dell. I take it that you are growing out of your childish prejudices?"

Dell flushed.

"I guess I've been guilty of assuming that if something is written down, if it's sanctioned by the government, that it must be right. But my dad's a statistician and he says they skew things."

"Yes. And a muggle prime minister once summed it up rather neatly; 'there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.' He was not strictly accurate; it is not the statistics themselves that lie but those who use them. I could use the statistic that Voldemort and his followers killed almost as many people as died in all the goblin wars. True – up to a point. But I leave also some facts out. One, that the population is much larger now than in the time of the major goblin wars and therefore the proportions change: but two, I'm not there counting as people the goblins who died as well. But on the other hand, nor am I counting the muggles who died as a result of the disasters caused by the deatheaters. When you take it all into account, Voldemort comes out as a greater disaster than the goblin wars, but you cannot solely measure that by how many died. His insidious infiltration of belief structures, his power to cause fear to the extent that the ministry preferred to pretend he could not return thereby causing more trouble, these things cannot be measured by statistics. Is that any help?"

"Yes sir, I think so; thank you" said Dell. "I need to make up my own mind not take the views of others."

"Exactly; so keep your mind open as well as your eyes and ears. But don't stop listening to the opinion of others; just compare it to your own life experience. You'll soon learn who makes objective judgements and who is talking from….er, through their hats" Lector modified quickly. It won him a grin.

Dell's deep blue eyes were very thoughtful.

He planned to stand back, say little, and watch; bar stopping Jackman beating up on anyone with his reverse knee hexes. Jackman was a boy worth opposing on general principles.

Dell's improved outlook was noticed by the Slytherin marauders, who approved; Hawke touched him on the arm and said,

"It takes a man to admit he's been in the wrong and to move on from that; I guess you'll do" which pleased Dell more than if he had received ten out of ten from Professor Snape on a potion.

The marauders were a little busy to interfere too much in school life, spending most of their leisure hours exploring. They were not the only ones; and they gave time to note and appreciate on the Marauders' Map – after solemnly swearing that they were up to no good – that Lynx, Senagra and Fabian had found sundry of the secret passages including the frustrating one that was caved in that started behind the mirror on the fourth floor.

"They'll get there" said Hawke "Make 'em sweat a bit more then let 'em call themselves the junior Marauders or something."

They were using the skills they had learned in enchanting classes to add to the Marauders' map and were discussing improving on it by having the parchment show whatever floor they were on but project a translucent image of floors above and below, also still showing who was where, to have a three-dimensional concept of the castle. It would require some geomantic knowledge and a level of arithmancy that they reckoned above the original maraudes.

"I bet Padfoot did the actual mapping" said Kinat "He's ace at maps."

"So he should be to teach geomancy" said Willow "But arithmancy isn't usually the long suit of Gryffindors, Hermione and Kinat excepted."

They were busy adding, as they spoke, the stariway that led all the way from the roof in a narrow flight down to a secret door in the back of a cupboard in Argus Filch's room on the first basement level; it had been a nervous moment to open the door and realise where they were, and that Filch was in the room too. Romulus maintained that what saved them was that the caretaker was crooning along to the wizarding wireless in a cracked and tuneless voice and did not hear them; and that Mrs Norris was asleep on his lap.

"Reckon he knows about this one?" asked Hawke.

"Almost have to, wouldn't he if it's from his room?" opined Kinat.

"I disagree" said Willow "There were cleaning brooms stacked in front of the door – not as a booby trap to catch anyone using it, but as though he was treating it like a cupboard. Which it is. And what use would it be to him anyway, a stair to the roof? It's not like it's got any short cuts off the stair to other floors. WE might find a use for it, but not poor old Filch."

The boys considered this and decided she was probably right, since girls ought to know how brushes ought to stack.

Which led to a brief altercation and Willow having to put their legs back the right way round after they apologised to her.

Another passage seemed equally fruitless; it started from a door onto the roof, descended thirty two stairs and stopped against a brick wall. They tried walking through it in case it was like the wall at Kings' Cross, but several grazed noses and brickdust in the eyes later they gave it up as a bad job.

"Wonder where it goes to" said Abrax.

"If we have the map three dimensional we'll be able to see" said Willow.

"Even now, if one of us stood up against the wall we could look for them being somewhere that isn't, or rather see what's next to them" said Kinat.

"Only when we've mapped the staircase in" reminded Willow.

"What if we made the wall permeable to walk through?" said Hawke.

"Great idea – when we've found out what's at back of it" said Willow "But I for one do not want to walk through a wall and discover there's a five storey drop because it comes out in a more recent stairwell; or worse, into a new chimney and end up in the fire."

"Oh. Yeah. There is that" said Hawke.

"Or in some chamber with a three headed dog like Fluffy" said Kinat.

"Go on, think of worse things do!" said Hawke injured.

Abrax chuckled.

"Worst of all – in Sev's bedroom when he and Krait are making out!" he said.

"Wrong floor I think, but yeah. That IS the worst of all" winced Hawke.

The stairway that led to a cupboard on the third floor had a lot more potential; because equally the cupboard on the third floor then led to the roof.

There was surreptitious cleaning of the cupboard and all the cleaning kit inside it hung neatly on hooks for the house elves that would use it.

There were two more trapdoors to explore that they could find; there might be other concealed entrances but these ones were full of potential for the moment.

They had planned to explore the last two one weekend; but it rained.

"Go on anyway?" asked Hawke.

"We shan't melt" said Kinat. "Anyway we can cast _Impervius_ on ourselves to repel the rain."

The first trapdoor they entered – glad to get out of the rain, spells or no – was in an attic full of junk.

"Excellent! I love junk!" said Abraxus. "There's pipes up here to a tank, Myrtle could come up too."

"Heh, look what I've found" said Hawke unearthing a large medieval style painting with a blowsy looking woman on it whose blue gown was cut low across her ample assets and whose white wimple was awry "I swear I really have the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies!"

"DO you mind you rude little boy?" said the painting, adjusting her attire.

The painting below her, to which she had been stacked face to face, was of a cavalier, hastily doing up his trousers.

"Oh, right, sorry ma'am" said Hawke, hiding a smile as she assumed the expression of a proper burger's wife, as the brass plate on her frame declared her to be.

"Rather more chased than chaste" Romulus whispered behind his hand to Kinat, who chuckled dirtily.

"There's a door out of here" said Willow "There appears to be something blocking it on the other side."

"See if you can peer round the crack if we all push hard" said Kinat.

"And hope it ain't Grawp snuck inside for a nap in the dry" added Hawke.

By dint of pushing, Willow was able to get her wand round and hastily improvise a spell that let her see as though looking through it like a telescope.

"It's a trunk" said Willow "I guess I can move it with a spell….hold on" and she muttered to herself, levitating the trunk and moving it far enough to open the door.

They were in a boxroom that had the feel of being used.

"Mary Anne Green" Willow read on a trunk "This is a Huffer boxroom; so this is a way surreptitiously into Hufflepuff House. That's handy."

"Not as handy as a way into Ravenclaw, but you never know" said Hawke. "Neat. Now let's arrange things so nobody thinks of looking in our secret junk room….what's in that trunk?"

Willow looked.

"Curtains and extra bedlinen and stuff like that" she said. "What a size it is! Tell you what, help me take out the stuff in it."

"Why?" asked Kinat.

"Because if we turn it up like a wardrobe and restack the stuff in it so it looks meant to be, and pull all those boxes away from the back wall we can put up an illusory wall covering the door and come through it behind the trunk another time" said Willow. "It doesn't have to be a great illusion; people only come up here occasionally, and they'll see what they expect to see. I mean, you might get juniors looking for secret passages out of the back of a dirty great wardrobe, but not behind the wall behind it."

"See what you mean" Kinat was quite happy to work hard if he felt it warranted but objected to what he saw as needless housework – which was any.

oOoOo

The final trapdoor also opened into an attic room. Willow peered in and hastily drew back.

"I don't want to worry anyone" she said "But there's a body in there!"

_A/N Reference to "'Allo 'Allo_" _a very British Comedy in which the painting of The Fallen Maddona with the big Boobies features regularly as Nazi war loot being stolen and counter stolen. You have to have seen it for it to make sense, sorry!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Is it dead?" asked Kinat.

"Of course it's dead! Otherwise it wouldn't be a body!" said Willow with some asperity.

"Well, how was I to know? It might have been someone sleeping."

"Not unless it's a sleeping inferius….he's a skeleton."

"You didn't say that though!" protested Kinat.

"I was a little too shocked" said Willow.

"Well" said Hawke "If he's a skeleton he's been there a while….though I'm rather making an assumption he's a he….."

"The clothes are rather rat eaten but I'd say they were male fashions of about two hundred years ago" said Willow.

"Wizarding or muggle?" asked Abrax.

"Wizarding….it was the fashion to wear calf length gowns over shiny boots a bit like the boots the muggles of the time wore."

They took turns to peer in, a little too awed by the presence of the skeleton to jump straight down.

They saw a room kitted out as a rudimentary observatory, with a telescope that ran on a small rail all along the rather long trapdoor, explaining its proportions; and the skeleton slumped in a position of despair against a small table and a box on top of it that did not give the rather short dead wizard quite enough reach to get to the trapdoor if he stood on it.

"D'you think it was stuck and he was trying to free it and fell?" asked Romulus.

"I don't know….why not use a spell?" said Abrax.

"I'd shin up the telescope" said Hawke.

"Yeah, but we're all fitter than most wizards even of our own time, let alone wizards back them" said Romulus. "Besides, perhaps he was afraid of breaking it."

"But if he fell, why didn't someone hear him holler and come to get him?" wondered Willow "I'm going down; I'll jump for you to pull me up when I've had a look and seen where the door goes."

Willow dropped carefully beside the skeleton, her heart hammering a little.

She froze.

"Kinat" she said "He's not human….not fully…I think he's part goblin. It's not obvious in the face bones but his skull is kinda Goblin shaped and he has ridges at the top of his ear holes suggesting they might have been at least a little bit pointy…."

"But they didn't let even half goblins in back then" said Kinat "I didn't even know there were half goblins; I mean Ellie's unusual because she's half muggle. I can't see any witches or wizards now even, let alone back them, choosing a goblin mate…"

"I don't know" said Romulus.

"Well there's loonies like you of course who are daft enough to let m'sister have a crush on you" said Kinat rudely.

"When she grows up a bit I reckon she'll be cute" said Romulus defensively.

"I say up there!"

Willow's voice put a stop to the friendly bickering.

"Listening!" called Hawke.

"The door's jammed – not just locked but jammed and good, I think it's actually been nailed shut too. There's a bit of what looks like broken wand by it. There's a gap at the bottom of the door but I can't feel a draught."

"I'll go get a ladder and we'll come down" called Romulus, and went for a rope ladder from their storeroom.

Willow looked at the skeleton.

"He's got a piece of paper in his hand" she said "I'll see if I can get it without it crumbling."

"It's parchment; you shouldn't have any trouble" said Abrax.

The scrap had writing on both sides.

One was a rather coarse hand and read,

"Here's what's left of your wand – for the good it'll do you!"

On the other was written, thinly and almost illegibly in blood,

"As it ..pears I shall die here, for I believe he is bricking up the pas….ge, let it be known that I,….. Ma..foy, was murdered by Tom ….ry on this day the 20th May 1810 on my tw…ty fifth birthday." Was all they could puzzle out.

There was a long silence.

"That has to be Malfoy, his own name; but a part goblin Malfoy? Wow, that seems unlikely!" said Kinat.

"Do you realise he's exactly two hundred and ninety five years older than Draco?" said Abrax "To the day…there's something in that."

"I thought I'd go through his robes" said Willow uncertainly.

The Malfoy twins nodded.

"He's our relative; we have to do what's right" said Hawke.

"I guess we should tell Uncle Lucius" said Abrax.

Willow found nothing in the robe pockets but a handkerchief with the Malfoy crest embroidered on it and a silver snuff box.

It was engraved.

"To my son Cosmo, on the occasion of his 21st Birthday from your loving mother Lucastina, best of luck teaching at Hogwarts School."

"Well assuming it is his" said Hawke "And I think we can because Lucasta's a Malfoy name, and Lucastina's a diminutive of that so then his name is Cosmo so we've got someone to look for on the family tree."

"And in the box rooms" said Romulus "They might have forgotten to send his kit home if he just disappeared – or assumed he left and took it."

"But which boxroom?" asked Abrax.

"Huh, Slytherin of course" said Romulus "There's never been a Malfoy anywhere but Slytherin until you got into Gryff; and Uncle Lucius would have soon trotted it out if there had been, especially if he was a dodgy Malfoy. And if you ask me, he's not that obviously a part goblin unless you see him with his hair off; he may not even be known to be a dodgy Malfoy, not as dodgy as you two anyway; so there'd be a family scandal Lucius would know about if he wasn't Slytherin."

"Well speculated and very logical" said Willow. "I say, can we leave him for a bit? He's not going anywhere and it makes me feel sad."

"Sure" said Hawke. "Why didn't he use wandless magic to float up to the trapdoor though? It's not like it's far and then he could at least have yelled for help even if he couldn't find a stair down."

"Because we're some of the very few wizards in the world capable of wandless magic you poor prune" said Kinat with perhaps unnecessary heat. "Because we practised. How many people outside the MSHG do you know who can do it, barring Fishface himself of course? They don't even see it as necessary."

They were silent for a moment, cogitating; because Kinat was right. And every marauder was shocked to the core that this wizard had died for the want of a little extra training.

They went quietly back inside; and sat down in an empty classroom to write to Lucius.

Severus glanced in the door and saw them and came in.

"You lot planning trouble I suppose?" he said.

"No sir" said Hawke solemnly "Trying to redress an ancient wrong…. Or at least to get it in the open."

"That sounds weighty" Severus was immediately serious; they were plainly not planning a rag!

They told him about it.

Severus nodded.

"Yes, search the boxrooms by all means… and ask Lucius if he has portraits of Lucastina or Cosmo; either one might tell him more about themselves. And ask Hannibal – I mean, Professor Lector – what he knows of the school at the time. There's 'Hogwarts – a history' in the library, if Hermione Granger ever returned it; and lists of staff too. You might ask Albus if you can talk to the portrait of old Fortescue – uh, Professor Fortescue that is; he's the fat one, I think he covers the right period. Lucius will want to take the poor fellow to his family crypt of course. There's a bricked up doorway in the astronomy room, is it impossible that that is where your doorway goes?"

"Yes" said Hawke "There'll be a passage but the dome for the big telescope was on the other side of the ridge."

"Good; if you like, I'll authorise having it broken down so it's easier to get in. Filch will grumble I daresay but that's tough."

Abrax grinned.

"Get cousin Krait to ask him; he likes her. She got him a wand that works."

Severus nodded.

Krait had managed to teach the squib enough to at least use the Floo network and do some small cleaning spells; and she was supportive of his attempts to get better rights for squibs.

The marauders ran up to the owl loft to send their slightly garbled and joint letter to Lucius; then departed to spend the rest of a wet Saturday in the box room.

They were joined by Lynx and her cronies – Senagra taking as much notice of being in someone else's house as Kinat and Abrax did, which is to say none at all – and she asked,

"Anything we can help with?"

The marauders froze.

Hawke said kindly,

"Look, kiddie, it's really family stuff; I think Abrax and me don't mind telling you so long as you keep it a bit quiet and leave us to it; we're not pushing you off but it's kind of personal and moving and private" and he outlined how they had found a body of a murdered ancestor and wanted to find out more about him.

"Oh!" said Lynx "That's so sad! Of course we understand you don't want us pushing in, but if there's any errands we can run or jobs you want us to do, we'll be ready!"

"Thanks kid" said Hawke gruffly. "Keep up the good work and you'll make little marauders yet!"

Lynx beamed and her dimples popped in and out.

It was hard work but at last they ran down a trunk marked 'Cosmo Malfoy'; and used the unlocking spell on it.

There were clothes for the winter stored in there – including a good supply of cloaks designed to billow, proving him, as Hawke said, to be a true Malfoy; some letters from someone who signed himself 'Your loving father Durrand' and a diary. The last few entries were very telling; and Abrax read them out.

"May 17

Avery is a pig.

He always was a pig, even when we were at school, the kind of prefect who always abused his position. I swear he knows about my father; he gave me a funny look when I was debating with young Binns, our new history Professor, about the justice of the Goblin wars. Poor little Binns is terribly conventional, I dare swear he was born middle aged. He's already thin on top though he's a year or two younger than I, and peers myopically on the world through his spectacles.

May 18

Avery asked me today if I knew who my father was. I said yes, I knew; but no, I was not going to tell him. He taunted me – how like an overgrown schoolboy he is, all white blonde cropped hair dressed au Brute, or more likely not properly combed, fat spotty face and I-saw-you-behind-the broom-shed manner. I told him that I was only a bastard by birth and asked what his excuse was – if indeed 'twas his father had sired him at all [as his father is dark and there is moreover some scandal of his mother very nearly succeeding in eloping with my uncle Ophidianus I think I hit a raw nerve.] he muttered something about 'my sort' ought not to be allowed to live to grow up; so I fear he guesses at least as much as he knows.

May 19

Avery has asked me up to the old observation room to discuss our respective parentage privately and come to an arrangement. I certainly hope we can. This air of oppressive despite is not pleasant."

Abrax had tears on his face.

"He hoped to come to terms of mutual blackmail – or maybe to duel like gentlemen – and he was tricked, his wand broken and he was nailed in there to die….. I wonder what happened to this Avery? I hope it was something unpleasant. He must be the one named, Tom something -ery"

"Hannibal might know" said Kinat. "We'll ask him later…. Go see Myrtle, brother: we'll leave this for a while because I want to cry too and I'd rather get back to Gryffindor Tower before I do."

Lana Porteous and her gang were delighted to meet a lone marauder and moreover one who had tear tracks on his face.

"Ow, poor ickle Abwax, has dat nasty old Myrtle chucked him den?" said Miss Porteous.

Abrax affected to not notice her; but the older girl grinned nastily.

"We should cheer poor Abrax up, shouldn't we, with some amusing hexes?" she suggested.

Abrax turned round.

"Bring it on Porteous" he said "Yes, you're descended from the Avery line, and I'd love an excuse to turn you inside out."

His scar blazed white and the girl hesitated; then she signalled her friends and they all cast at once.

Abrax did not even bother with his wand, let alone words for his protective barrier, which blazed with light against four unpleasant jinxes; nor did he bother with words or wand as one by one he cast the full body bind, the tickling curse and the bat bogey hex on each, and left them there helplessly squirming against simultaneous tickling and bat attack.

Myrtle was glad to see him, and horrified he should be so upset; and it soothed Abrax to tell her all about it.

He was on his way back – when he planned to release his victims – when he heard Professor McGonagall's voice saying,

"And you four sixth form girls are saying that a wee boy only in the fourth overcame ye and incapacitated ye so comprehensively all on his own?" her voice held disbelief.

"But it's TRUE!" wailed Miss Porteous.

Abrax strolled into view.

"Mr Malfoy, these girrrls have accused you of incapacitating them with a variety of most unpleasant jinxes" said McGonagall.

Abrax smiled beatifically.

"Madam McGonagall, am I not correct in believing that it is against the rules to use wand in the corridor?"

"Aye, that it is."

"Well I am prepared to say that I never raised my wand to these girls and I'll take legilimensy on that if you should wish" he said.

McGonagall gave him a look; then returned to stare at the girls.

"I found you girrrls bound with wands in yer hands; so somebody had wands out. Are ye still telling me Mr Malfoy turned his wand on the fourrrr of ye?"

"He didn't even use his wand!" wailed Karlinna Coulter.

McGonagall shook her head.

"It's my belief ye're a' suffering from hysterrria" she said "I think I'll just tak' ye tae Madam Pomfrey for some glumbumble juice and a quiet night in the sanatorrrium."

They protested in vain. Glumbumble juice tasted vile; and a Saturday night spent in the san under madam Pomfrey's eye was not the most convivial thing to happen!

Abrax had the distinct feeling that his House Head knew full well – or rather fu' weel – what had happened and wished to add to his own humiliating punishment of the four girls with her own lesson.

Somehow the thought caused him no disquiet at all!

By mutual consent the Marauders decided not to ask to speak to the ghostly Professor Binns who was taking a sabbatical researching Goblin battle sites.

Professor Lector was another matter; and they told him the whole.

'Hannibal' was shocked.

"Well, come into my office and I'll dig out my books of history of the school" he said; and proceeded to sort out butterbeer and biscuits to go with research, quite as convivial an accompaniment as cocoa with marshmallows and crumpets for MSHG rituals.

"Here we go" said 'Hannibal' "Tom Avery taught enchantment from 1808 to 1828 when he died prematurely choking on a fishbone while laughing over a racist goblin joke."

"And serve him right – poetic justice" said Hawke. "What book is that, sir?"

"Teachers of Hogwarts past and present their life and crimes" said 'Hannibal' blandly. "Not a published book I'm afraid, my uncle wrote it because he did not have happy schooldays and it amused him to dig up the dirt on as many of them as he could. If Voldemort had but known it he has the entry about our Dumbledore's youthful friendship with Grindelwald; only even my uncle couldn't find anything much more uncharitable to say than that Albus Dumbledore has a habit of believing the best of people too often which makes him gullible. And I think that's a nicer trait than many."

"He wasn't gullible over Tom Riddle; and that was the one that counted" said Abrax. "Is there anything about Cosmo Malfoy?"

"Let me see….Cosmo Malfoy taught astronomy between 1806 and 1810 when he vanished suddenly after bricking up the older observation room for no apparent reason. Said to be illegitimate and some whiff of mystery or scandal, incest being hypothesised. Well, I shall make an additional note to that about his parentage being irregular" he said "I plan to donate this book to the school eventually but for now it stays with me."

"His father was called Durrand" said Romulus "I don't know if that was a first or second name; but I guess first."

"Unlikely that it'd be anywhere in the school lists but….. hold on, I'll check staff lists and pupil lists; it'll take a while though" Hannibal said "You lot can help, take a page each."

After about an hour Kinat said

"I think I've found him."

"A pupil? A half goblin?" Hannibal was surprised.

"No…. A groundsman, Durrand Jones, he was groundsman at the time Lucastina would have been a pupil I reckon; any notes on her in the pupil list?"

"Lucastina Malfoy, Slytherin; started 1779…..OWLs….no NEWTs, apparently she left before taking them." Hawke found it.

"One does rather wonder if she was forced to leave because she was with child then" said Hannibal. "What does it actually say about Durrand Jones?"

"Just lists him as a groundsman and a bracketed note that he's part goblin. Part, note, not half" said Kinat.

"Interesting…. I wonder if we can get hold of any other census notes about his birth" said Hannibal

"That's what uncle Lucius is for" said Hawke.

Lucius flew up in his carriage with a portrait of Lucastina, a beautiful but somehow sad woman.

"She won't talk to me" said Lucius "Said the secret of her son's birth is locked in her heart and will remain there; I thought you pests might get further with her. What have you found to date?"

The Marauders and Hannibal told him, reading extracts from the diary and from Hannibal's uncle's book, and the entry on the groundsman.

"You make is sound smutty" the picture accused.

"That was never our intent, Great Aunt Lucastina" said Abraxus hurriedly "Only if you won't speak we can't celebrate Cosmo's father's side. Things have changed; here's Kinat, one of my best friends. We don't want to vilify Cosmo but to embrace him and you as heroes of the Malfoy family in not giving a damn about convention."

Her face worked.

"Durrand was so gentle" she said "Slytherin House can be hard at times; but he was unfailingly courteous. And he used to pick flowers for me, lucky white heather and harebells and such. I – I became close to him. I knew I'd be married off to some suitable pureblood when I left school and I suppose my affair with Durrand was almost a rebellion as much as attraction. But I was fond of him; and I wasn't about to get him sacked by telling my father who had fathered my baby. And Cosmo fortunately didn't look very much like a goblin. His little ears were a bit pointed, but that's not uncommon in the Malfoy family, we always believed an ancestor had dallied with a house elf because his wife was barren."

"Well that's a new family skeleton to me" said Lucius dryly

"It might not even be true; it was just whispered when I was a little girl" said Lucastina. "Frankly I think it's more likely that one of the ancestors married a Veela or half Veela or other fey; we all have fine bones and that would account for it. But children love scandal."

"Not just children" said Lucius dryly. "Do you know anything of Durrand's kin?"

"Oh yes!" said Lucastina "He told me all about it."

"Will you tell us, please ma'am?" asked Hawke.

She regarded him thoughtfully.

"Very well" she said. "Durrand was only three years older than I, he was born in 1765. His mother, Sylvia, was a quarter blood goblin, who was a slave in a goblin brothel like her mother and grandmother."

They all gasped.

"There were enslaved prostitutes?" Abrax was shocked.

"Oh yes; apparently the crime lord of the day, in the early seventeen hundreds, introduced the idea of kidnapping muggle girls who wanted to seek their fame and fortune in a big city and made them slaves. Nobody really cares what happens to muggles after all."

"That's changed too" said the marauders as a group.

She shrugged.

"Well nobody cared then. Durrand's Great Grandmother was called Esther Jones and she had a daughter called Alethea who was probably fathered by Kraddock himself in the Winchester brothel."

"Who is Kraddock?" asked Abrax.

"The first true Goblin crime lord" said Lucius dryly "The first to persuade goblins that fleecing wizards was safer and more profitable than fighting them; who started to move in on gambling, prostitution and smuggling such few things as were controlled substances at the time. Kordach, the current crime lord, is supposed to be descended from him and I see no reason to doubt that. I've dealt with Kordach in my time; he's very urbane, very smooth and as dangerous as a sack full of hungry ferrets."

"Sounds like most of them then from what Durrand said" said Lucastina "Alethea birthed Sylvia, who was the child of a wizard, and Sylvia birthed Durrand, also the child of a wizard. If his past hadn't been so irregular he might have been good enough to go through Hogwarts, but the rule was, any goblin blood is all goblin blood, so of course he was not allowed a wand. And as he was of no profit to the brothel he was thrown out when he was about twelve to make his own way. Before that he was an errand boy and so on. He thought himself very lucky to be taken on as groundsman at Hogwarts; and I think he was robbed" she finished defiantly.

"You're right; he was" said Abrax "And I'm glad Cosmo got to go, and Durrand got to see his son grow up and get the learning he was denied. He wrote letters to him that we found."

Her face softened.

"Yes, I taught him to read and write. He loved Cosmo. It broke his heart when he disappeared; he always maintained some racist had killed him."

"We found his body, ma'am; and uncle Lucius is going to take it home where it belongs."

"I brought a coffin" said Lucius.

Filch had broken down the wall; and a solemn group traversed the short passageway and pulled the nails out of the door. The rest of the broken wand was on this side, and broken plaster suggested a struggle.

"Malfoys are slight at the best of times" sighed Hawke "And with goblin blood too….against a beefy bully of the same stamp as Crabbe and Goyle…"

"Didn't stand a chance without the sort of training we have" said Abrax. "Uncle Lucius, will you go in?"

Lucius looked silently on the bones of his relative.

"We dare to be different" he said "Malfoys do not bleat with the crowd. I'm taking you home, Cosmo, where you belong."

He lifted the delicate bones into the coffin and levitated it to take down to the carriage. He stopped at the door.

"Well done you Marauders" he said "And my thanks to the friends of my nephews. I shall not forget that you did this with reverence and care. My home will always be yours any time you need it."

"Thank you sir" said Romulus, Willow and Kinat.

Lucius nodded, rather abruptly, and moved off.

Hawke sighed.

"Well, that was something we didn't expect out of our marauding" he said.

"No; but it's one of the things we're supposed to do" said Kinat "We're here to fight evil and injustice; and I guess it doesn't matter that it's evil and injustice in the past."

"Next stop re-write the history of the goblin wars?" laughed Willow.

"That, one day" said Kinat, seriously "Just because wizard children don't take history all that seriously and don't care about goblin wars of the past doesn't mean it isn't hurtful to have my people always blamed. I expect they were at fault in some of the cases, or at least the instigators of wars; but they had no choice but to rebel when some oppressive edicts were enacted, and they weren't always the ones who started the violence. And all I can find about that I shall."

"And the Marauders will help" said Romulus staunchly "Like you say, it's what we're for. Like helping to bring Myrtle back. Is she looking forward to it?"

"I haven't told her yet" said Abrax "I was planning to tell her a couple of months in advance – and check she was up for it, I'll not make assumptions about what she wants! But I don't want her getting over excited or having too long to worry in, because you know the circumstances of her death have left her on an emotional roller-coaster. So don't put your big feet in it please!"

"We shan't" said Hawke "And we absolutely appreciate why you're waiting. And may I suggest not one of us knows any more about it than her until you tell us all because she'll be hurt else."

"You are so decent" said Abrax "Best thing that ever happened to me was having you become my twin."

Hawke snorted, and thumped him on the arm.

Sometimes words were not enough – and too much!

Peeves meanwhile returned from Ireland as smug as smug and those who had been enjoying his absence gave a resigned sigh of acceptance that they had not lost him for good.

"I borrowed some of the fey" said Peeves to Teague "And don't you worry, they wasn't unseelie fey, they was proper fey like what your own blood kin is, they owes you fealty for family they said."

"Sure, and wasn't me own dharlin mither born of faerie blood!" said Teague "And her tellin' me tales o' the wee folk since I could sit on her lap!"

"Yeah, that's what they said" said Peeves "So we ran a wild hunt through the whole house, pullin' and pinchin' at him, draggin' him the length of the field by his pyjama jacket and me castin' good corridor curses at him. And every night we wailed and moaned and broke things to make him move out; and he was getting that jumpy he was sleepin' in the day to sit up at night, but I don't care what time it was and every time he fell asleep, CRASH I'd push something over! Cor, it was fun!" he added "And nobody to stop me; and I shouted rude rhymes at him and he couldn't stop me. It was jolly nice of you to let me play with your muggles" he added "I don't normally get to be allowed to!"

"We've done each other good then t'be sure" said Teague "And I'll always be your friend for that. Peeves."

"Well now!" said Peeves "That's dead nice!" he grinned "Mind we got interrupted afore he fled; he was acksherly packed and ready to go when muggle law types come and took him away; and told him he was under arrest for fraud. Trust Lucius to stop me having a total victory" he pulled a face.

"But the folks what look ter me will be glad he's shut away" said Teague "And if ye forced him ter start fleein' that'll look bad when they foind he was packed, fer they'll think it wis them he was flittin' fram; and then it'll go worse for him, especially ef he tries ter tell them he was haunted, so ye've mad his loife the more uncomfortable dhrivin' him intu the arms o' the fuzz, so ye have."

Peeves brightened over that.

And even if he had not caused total misery it was jolly nice of his friend Teague to say so!

And the Marauders were actually much impressed by the lateral thinking of using Peeves as a tool of justice; even if he could be at times a bit of a two-edged weapon!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Nobody could blame the New Marauders for the next spot of excitement, though most of the school never knew just how much excitement was going on.

Plenty of classes were slightly disrupted by curious pupils staring when a rather gaudy coach pulled by three abraxans landed rather shakily by the castle.

Hagrid was first to them, and requested the help of David Fraser in their care as he was his most promising pupil. Hagrid himself carried the injured pregnant woman from inside the carriage to Madam Pomfrey, and Severus was rapidly summoned to deal with cursed wounds.

Severus summoned the school bloodgroup after school.

"This is a startling tale" he said "And one I think we almost have to follow up. The woman's name is Nadia Sadyrina and she's a muggle. She's also the mistress of a Russian wizard called Ilya Ostrovski and that's his child she's carrying. It seems that Odessa is big in Russia even as it is in Germany; and this Ostrovski has been outspoken against it. He had managed to conceal that he had a muggle mistress; but they found her and him at their love nest, she called it a dacha. She left him fighting, he told her to get his baby to safety, to tell the horses to go to Hogwarts where someone would help her. She's a bit hysterical – unsurprisingly – because she does not even know if her baby's father is alive or dead or whether she is likely to be pursued."

"Can we find out where this dacha was?" asked David "There should be geomantic trails; and the abraxans will know too."

"Yes I believe so" said Severus. "Sirius?"

Sirius nodded.

"I can do it; there aren't many who could" he said. "And I think we should go as soon as possible. Hermione and Ron are busy preparing for their wedding, I don't propose we disturb them, but I think having Harry, Draco and Neville along would not hurt."

Severus nodded.

"I'll summon them if you sort out where we're going….camouflage and Kalashnikovs for the older ones who are coming and hollow point with silver nitrate just in case. Odessa revere werewolves as the ultimate in fighters for their beliefs remember."

"What age does that go down to then?" asked Jade.

"The New Marauders and Ellie" said Severus severely.

"Well I didn't think you'd let me really" said Jade "But it was worth asking."

The Bloodgroup squad formed up quickly with long practise, everyone delighted to see the three older boys again. They would apparate elf fashion and arrive ready for action like commandos just outside the dacha.

There were three wizards there, grim faced Odessa types, and they were quickly overcome.

Severus used legilimancy on them for speed; then grimaced and cut their throats.

"We can't afford to leave live enemies behind us" he said.

Krait laid a hand on his arm.

"Quite right; and right too not to use your wand" she said. He nodded.

"They plan to hold a show trial; they want to question him first about where he sent his muggle woman so they can execute her too after cutting out the er, contaminated seed of good wizarding stock. I'm not sure you younger ones ought to be here actually…."

"Harry saw enough horror at our age; we pledged to combat it so other kids don't see horror" said Hawke grimly "If we'd been around in Cosmo's time he might not have been murdered….you know."

Severus nodded but glanced at Ellie and Sirri.

"Anyone who doesn't want to come need not" he said.

"I pledged to fight too" said Ellie "I may hate a lot of it – and please, I don't want to be near the front – but I'm coming."

"Me too" squeaked Sirri firmly "I like you protecting me Severus, but I want to stand beside you too."

"Where are we going? Any idea?" asked Sirius.

"Yes; they have a training facility in the Pripet Marshes and they have a secure facility there too where he's being held and tortured" said Severus.

"There's a helluva lot of Pripet marshes" said Sirius.

"Yeah" said David "And so the army of the Third Reich found out – to its cost."

"But I know where!" squeaked Beloc "Because I saw the map!"

"Good" said Sirius "Give us the co-ordinates; and we'll go."

They apparated outside the defenses of the facility to study them. They were quite extensive, including muggle repelling spells, unmappability, and an anti-apparating zone. It would also have been protected against them by being under the fidelius charm had not Professor Hesse been careless. Beloc was now a secondary secret keeper.

"And the anti apparating zone doesn't work for us" said Severus, cheerfully "Because of the elf blood. Just like Beloc can lead us here because he saw the note and is directing map. I love felix felicis."

"We haven't taken any" said Harry.

"No, but Beloc had when he found the map" said Severus "And I don't think we need it; we do NOT, gentlemen and ladies, wish to learn to rely on luck. There are times and places for felix; this is a time and a place for ordinary fortitude, endurance and skill."

"Yes Domine" said Harry, meekly.

David was watching the guard circulating and using his skill to work out what buildings were likely to contain what.

"I'd say that isolated building there is the secure facility" he said "It has extra lines of energy around it that I think are curse lines. We need to get Thingumyski out first and then see about killing all the other trainees here."

Sirius nodded.

"It's sound; though do we all need to go in there in force? Might not splitting our forces be better?"

"Padfoot, there are ten toilet-style windows along that barracks block. Russians reckon eight man to a loo stall, twice as many as Americans; Germans go for about six, like the British, so assume at least sixty housed there, maybe eighty."

"I bow to your superior knowledge over shithouses" said Sirius.

"It's valid data" shrugged David, slightly miffed.

"I was teasing. I really DO bow to your superior knowledge over shithouses."

"So no split. Though I want him taken out when we have him, he'll be in no condition to fight, Sirri, will you take him back with Ellie to help you? That way you do your bit but without the parts you find harder to handle" said Severus.

"Do it; and never mind pride" said Krait. "We'll only worry about him and you if you don't and that'll put the rest of us at risk. Like we stuck the younger ones inside during the battle for Hogwarts and never worried 'cos we didn't know sundry of them had crept out." She scowled at the marauders who had the grace to look sheepish.

"All right; as it is a real job" said Ellie. "Though Sirri could handle it alone…."

"But you're the better geomancer to cover any apparating smell" said Sirius. "We don't want to lead anyone who comes here right back to Hogwarts."

Ellie nodded, appeased.

They concentrated; and apparated inside the curse line, the guard on the door dying with a very mundane knife in his throat before he could even cry out to raise the alarm. And then they were inside, Kalashnikovs ready, cutting down anyone who stood before them, secure in the knowledge that anyone not confined was going to be the enemy.

Ostrovski was held in magical bonds screaming under the cruciatus curse.

The wizard who was casting it never knew what had hit him.

It was in fact several pieces of 7.62 calibre hollow point lead, but as that would have meant nothing to him in any case, he would have been none the wiser had anyone told him. Severus dispelled the bonds, and Sirri and Ellie took an arm each and apparated directly away. They cleared the building – there was only one other occupant who seemed to be some kind of commandant – cast _accio bullets_ and _accio cartridge cases_ and left, apparating past the curse lines after setting a high explosive charge which David had thoughtfully brought.

The resultant explosion brought wizards hurling from the barracks, and enough forgot the presence of the curse line to make killing them by other means superfluous since they died in a green flash.

Shooting the rest down was almost too easy; but that, as David said, was due to good planning. A few got off offensive spells; and some of them were even in the right direction and necessitated protective shield spells. Most were just confused and frightened and even started attacking each other.

It was a bloodbath; and then the barracks had to be checked and cleared too.

Nobody had, as it happened, stayed inside.

A well dressed witch and wizard were amongst the dead; presumably they had been in charge. Severus appropriated such paperwork as he could find, and then after retrieving bullets and cases Severus and Sirius called down magical fire of an intensity that impressed the younger ones.

And then they went home.

Ilya Ostrovski would never know the details; but Dumbledore offered him and his lover asylum until they had a place to go in England where their choice of love was free.

Severus and Sirius decided not to tell Dumbledore all the details either, just telling him they had called in Harry, Draco and Neville to help and had dealt with the problem. And if Dumbledore suspected some of the children were involved, he had the wisdom not to ask.

The Bloodgroup went its own way; and while Dumbledore was certain that its way was along a righteous path he preferred not to officially know what it was.

Which was why nobody had told him about the plans they had for Myrtle either.

Abraxus decided that after two rather emotionally charged events it was time to get through the most difficult business of all of the term and ask Myrtle if she would like to become flesh and blood again if he could pull it off.

Myrtle howled and sobbed, and as Abraxus was wondering how to apologise to her for suggesting it if it upset her so much managed to sniff that she would like that above all things, to be able to be his girlfriend and demand how he could raise her hopes without knowing if it could be done.

"But I have a pretty good idea" said Abraxus "Because I knew it would be unfair to suggest it if it couldn't so I asked Krait and she asked the older blood group if they'd help and she's working out when is the best time if you want to."

"I want to" said Myrtle.

"Dear, dear Myrtle, you have to be aware that it might send you beyond the veil" said Abraxus "And that would mean you would be able to move on from being sad, but…..but I would miss you so much!"

"And I would miss you….but I suppose you'd die eventually and come to me?" asked Myrtle. "I've been so sad thinking you'll grow up and go away!"

"Well this way either you'll grow up as a little girl my age or grow as a spirit over there" said Abrax "I guess it might fail entirely, but then we'll be no worse off and we'll just have to think again. I love you, Myrtle."

"Oh Abrax, I love you! You're the nicest boy ever!" said Myrtle. "Ooh, just think, Myrtle Malfoy, doesn't that have a nice ring to it?"

Abrax had not got as far ahead of himself as to think of marriage but he knew girls could be like that so he worked on not looking too disconcerted. After all, even Hermione, the least soppy girl in the world, got dewy eyed when talking dresses with Krait and his mum.

"Krait reckons it'll be the best time early in the new year when you and I are the same age" he said "So I shan't be able to take you to the Yule Ball, and I should so have liked to do so."

A tear welled up.

"So who will you go with?" Myrtle sounded jealous.

Abrax grinned.

"Well, Hawke and I were thinking of taking each other, me in a dress with false eyelashes and all; but tell you what, Myrtle! I'll ask Krait if she can think of anything, and then Hawke will have to fend for himself!"

"No Malfoy is going to lack girls ready to dance with him" said Myrtle.

"That was more or less what we thought the problem was" said Abrax "Which was why we were going to go together…we tossed and I lost hence it being me to go in drag. He can always take Hayley; she's inoffensive and already a good friend of his."

The Marauders having had a busy term so far decided to actually do a bit of work; so it was Lynx and her cronies who managed the next bit of Marauding excitement.

Pritchard and Baddock joined forces with Jackman and the Porteous siblings to hex as many goblins as they could – except Kinat, of whom they were slightly nervous – and call their friends 'animal lovers'; and Senagra, Fabian and Lynx broke into the potions dungeon to mix a horrid concoction of doxy venom, bubotuber pus and stinksap which they duly sprayed at the racist gang. This noxiously toxic concoction – as Severus later described it - lead to their assailants spending several most unpleasant days in the sanatorium. The misfortune of the conspirators was that they were caught in the act by Severus, who could not really let it pass, so he set them lines during flying practise 'I must try to be more careful when poisoning my fellow students'.

Senagra had thoughtfully acquired some skiving pens from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes – this version of magic pens a bit more effective than their abortive self-spelling pens – which, once you had written the first line of lines perfectly copied your handwriting a number of times equal to the times you tapped the shaft.

Unfortunately Severus had locked them into the detention room – it had a toilet so it was not so harsh as it might have been – because they had too much honour to give their word to stay put for the full two hours. He had also put a locking charm on the door to resist the use of _Alohamora_ spells.

"It might have been less boring to actually do the lines" said Fabian.

"Wrist ache!" said Senagra "If you think I'm doing lines for something I'm not sorry for you can think again; how were we to know doxy poison has a powerful effect on the lungs if breathed in? Besides, I don't much care if that lot live or die, they'd gladly kill me and my brother and Garjala if they could."

"Why don't we poke at the carvings on the fireplace while we're here?" said Lynx "We haven't explored this room for secret passages."

"Well that's because it's usually locked" said Fabian practically.

"There's some really cool carvings" said Senagra "I like this one of a goblin sticking out his tongue, he looks like Kinat…." She took hold of the tongue and started as there was a loud CLICK!

"Jiggle it some more!" said Lynx.

Senagra complied and there was the sound of grating stone – at the back of the firelplace!

"Cool!" said Lynx "Fabe, you do the best _Lumos_ spell, lets take a look-see!"

It was quickly apparent that this was a way in to a whole network of passages built into the thickness of the flues and following their often erratic path; and there were stairs up; and down.

"Up or down?" asked Lynx.

"Up" said Fabian and proceeded to start on up the stairs.

There were further places where the passage divided; and Senagra said "I think we ought to actually map this before we get lost, you know"

"We'll mark the way we go with chalk for now" said Fabian "I've got a piece in my pocket."

"So long as no magical creatures live here and turn the stones around like in 'Labyrinth'" giggled Senagra.

"If we get mislaid I expect Professor Snape will come to let us out and find we're not there and use magic to find us" said Lynx, practically "It's why I didn't close the doorway in."

"There's oodles of exploring to be done" said Fabian "I say, here's a door!"

The door opened into a small room which had an alcove on one side for a bed, and an excavated crevice that turned and widened slightly with rather basic drainage in it and a gargoyle much like the one in the potions dungeon providing a steady stream of water into a basin. The main room also had a window, hidden behind decorative stonework on the outside of the castle; and a little fireplace leading into the flue the stair had followed.

"It's a place for hiding fugitives!" said Lynx, in awe.

"It's a grand headquarters!" said Senagra.

Fabian bit his lip.

"You know, it's almost too good to keep to ourselves….do you think we ought to tell the Marauders?" he suggested.

"They'd almost have to let us be mini marauders if we did" said Lynx.

"Let's map all the passages first and present it to them as a package" said Senagra "And I say, people, I think I know a really good fourth Marauder"

"Who? Jem decided to work hard and he's the best" said Lynx.

"Jade Snape" said Senagra "I know she's not properly here yet and will be a year younger, but she's awfully good, and she knows a lot from hearing her parents talk, and she has the scar so she's done real stuff…."

Lynx considered.

"All right" she said "I reckon we'll have to go back about now but if you can get Jade to join us we'll explore tonight."

"How will we get into the detention room?" asked Fabian.

"Call yourself a wizard! Use _Alohamora_ of course!" scoffed Lynx. "It'll be simple!"

They got back and got the door shut just before Professor Snape's key sounded – a little early – in the door.

"That was close" said Fabian.

Snape looked at three demure faces.

"Oh dear" he said.

"Sir?" said Lynx.

"All that innocence? I really find it hard to swallow you know."

"SIR!" they all managed to sound injured which made Severus raise an eyebrow still further.

He inspected their lines.

"Hmmm" he said "Interesting how precisely similar each line is to the one above, it could almost be mechanical, right down to the identical spelling mistakes….well, whatever you've been plotting while your pens have been writing for you, I don't want to know. You may be displeased to know that Baddock is going to make a full recovery, but as one in loco parentis for him I for one am grateful your experimentation did not do any worse damage. If you MUST use potentially lethal compounds on your enemies in future, please think of my feelings having to explain to parents why their little darling is either dead or permanently damaged and Senagra, try to think what it would do to the reputation of nasty vicious vindictive Goblins."

"I guess I hadn't thought of that" said Senagra.

"Thinking is all I ask you to do…. You are in a delicate position as a goblin. I know you are just as daft as any human child your age with as much brainless mischief burning to get out and as little real malice in your juvenile and fairy-brained mind; but that's not how such things would be perceived, so the lot of you, BE CAREFUL! All right, homily over; scoot!"

They scooted, with more to reflect on than they might have thought.

Jade was delighted to be asked to join the younger marauders!

Once duly sworn to secrecy, they told her about the passages.

"Cool!" said Jade "And of course as they're not in wizarding space they're undetectable to magic too; and if the opening mechanism is purely mechanical so is that, so no amount of magic-detecting spells are going to work!"

Lynx and the others exchanged looks. That was something they had not thought of; Jade's background of high level theory really was going to be useful!

It was a busy night.

And some of it was a little bit nervous too; at least when they gingerly opened a fireback, and found an occupied room, with gay Indian carpets and brassware; and a big tiger asleep on the floor.

They shut the door hurriedly.

"Ooh-er!" said Fabian.

"If it's Indian, it must be Professor Khan's room" said Lynx "Has he got a pet tiger then?"

"I don't think so" said Jade "I think it's more likely he's an animagus, he goes off with Sirius Black quite often in the evenings, I think they go hunting together. Willow might know. Sirius has been helping her get her animagus form; or David he's a dog like Sirius."

They explored further giggling as they came out into the second year girls' dorm in Ravenclaw tower to a cacophony of snores; and then into the classroom on the third floor where senior DADA classes were held.

It took several nights; and they discovered further outlets into other places; the ground floor classroom where Transfiguration was taught; the potions' dungeon; the sub-ground level area outside the potions dungeon; an unused boxroom at what turned out to be the top of Gryffindor tower; and a final outlet to the roof through the end of a chimney stack.

Now they were ready to show the Marauders; and sent them an invitation enchanted – courtesy of Jade – to burn up all on its own once it had been read.

The Marauders were intrigued; and duly met up with the youngsters, bar Willow who pleaded tiredness after a run in animagus form and begged the youngsters' pardon in a prettily worded letter.

"Willow is a kind of part time member anyway" said Hawke. "So, we're met here in the transfigurations room; what now?"

"Now you wear a blindfold until we've shown you something very special" said Lynx "And then if you like it we'll REVEAL ALL!"

Hawke considered making an off-colour joke and resisted the temptation.

She was too young.

The marauders had a rather difficult time ducking into the fireback and then stumbling up the steep narrow stairs in blindfolds; but when crammed into the secret room and the blindfolds removed they were duly impressed.

"Kind of like a priests' hole only probably not for priests" said Abraxus.

"The bed hole isn't tall, d'you think someone at Hogwarts in the past was sympathetic to the goblin cause and hid rebel leaders?" asked Romulus.

"We don't know why it was made, but isn't it a perfect marauding headquarters?" demanded Lynx.

Hawke nodded slowly.

"It is that….we could keep the invisibility cloak and the marauders' map in here for safety so any of us regardless of house could get them…."

"You've got an invisibility cloak?" squeaked Lynx.

"Not as good as Harry's" said Abrax "But pretty cool…and a time turner too in case of emergencies and a small vial of Felix, a dose of veritaserum and a couple of bezoars. Just in case."

"What's a bezoar?" asked Lynx.

"Haven't you been told in potions?" demanded Jade "It's a stone from the stomach of a goat, it counteracts any poison including combination poisons. An antidote for a combination poison has to be greater than the sum of the parts used in the poison, but a bezoar is a sure antidote if you don't know what's been administered."

"I'd forgotten" said Lynx "There's so much to remember."

"Combination poisons are NEWT work anyway" said Abrax.

"If you forget everything else, a bezoar is worth remembering" said Jade "And when dad poisons you all in the fourth year, he'll give you extra points if you think of that."

"Does he really poison fourth years?" asked Fabian "I thought he didn't like having to tell parents bad things had happened."

"Probably not" said Romulus "But those of us who've been studying antidotes aren't about to risk it, you know!"

"But he's your dad!" Lynx was shocked.

"And the more reason to use me as a demonstration" said Romulus "Because he knows I'M going to get my antidotes right, you know!"

"Show us the rest, kids, and we'll put it on the map" said Hawke.

"Show us the map first" said Lynx.

"All right; we made you a copy too, for your own; so we can each be marauding together" said Hawke. "I say! I know where there's another invisibility cloak, it used to belong to Barty Crouch, now Winky's free d'you think she'd let us have it?"

"But then it's mine by right" said Lynx "'Cos I'm one of his next nearest relatives. She might then get it for me if I tell her to, where is she?"

"She lives in the Hogwarts kitchen under a cloud of inebriation" said Abraxus "You have to tickle the pear in the still life to get into the kitchen."

Lynx stored that one away!

The New Marauders were very impressed with the passages, and shared all of theirs with the duly inaugurated official Junior Marauders. The next few days were spent making a mapping table – that would double to eat at – and benches and bunks to both sit on and, at a pinch, sleep in; and bookshelves for the useful books they were accumulating that were not so likely to be officially sanctioned, such as ones with dark rituals in

"That you kids don't even THINK of emulating, or even reading without a bigger person around" said Hawke roughly "Some of these have soul traps for the unwary, but we need to be able to counter effects, see? Severus has copies, but these are ones we found in attics and forgotten places in the library and such."

They also put Cosmo Malfoy's diary in pride of place; and Lynx came up with the idea of ransacking all the forgotten old trunks in everyone's boxrooms for other diaries to start to write an alternative history of Hogwarts.

That seemed a most excellent idea; as Abrax said,

"Marauders can't always be spending their time fighting the forces of darkness and saving the galaxy so I guess we need something to do in our quiet periods."

They also moved the magic mirror into the secret room's rudimentary toilet; as Abrax said, it was too dark for any damage to be done if anyone DID manage to penetrate its reverse scrying secret, however unlikely: and how edifing was a medieval style loo in any case. And here they could set watchers in relays from amongst the Marauders in case anything interesting happened in Durmstrang.

"I hasn't yet" said Romulus "Though Professor Hesse did get a fire message to go haring off for a couple of days after we creamed the Odessa facility; but you don't know about that, kids, and it's safer if you continue that way you know."

"I'll tell you what I know later, which isn't all but it's some" said Jade. "Will you tell the Young Marauders and the original Marauders?"

Lynx was torn. It was their secret!

But being a marauder was being a marauder.

"Who are they?" she asked.

"The original ones were James Potter – who's dead of course – Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew" said Hawke "Peter is kind of sort of expelled from marauding though we're kind to him; and Severus Snape is there in his place, and Krait kinda sorta to make up four, though I guess Tonks might count too. Either one is all in the family as Tonks is Sirius' cousin. The Young Marauders are Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco and part time Ginny."

"It's an awful lot" said Lynx.

"There's an awful lot of bad people out there to fight" said Abrax "And it IS very much in the family….you're a Black AND a Weasley, Jade is Snape and Malfoy, Senagra is Kinat's sister and Fabian is new blood, but so was Kinat at first. Just think, one day, Harry and Ginny's kids, and Tonks and Moonie's kids will be Marauders together perhaps, and younger Snapelings too, and Draco and Grace's kids. It's a tradition now."

Lynx grinned.

It was a nice tradition to be part of!

And when she tackled Winky about the cloak, the little house elf was only too happy to be helpful; and begged Lynx to let her belong to her family.

Lynx had not got the heart to say no!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It was to the Junior Marauders a momentous occasion when all the previous Marauders met – rather more cosily than comfortably – in the secret room.

"Better than anything we had – the Marauders get better and better!" grinned Sirius. "I vote we drink a toast in butterbeer – I brought some along – to the continuation of Marauding!"

"We used the Room of Requirements to hide large numbers of people in when I had to be head and supposedly under the orders of Voldemort; but this would be excellent for the odd person we need to give succour to" said Severus "Because they can either be apparated here by a house elf sworn to serve the Marauders – like Dobby – or brought under blindfold. We have a long way to go in changing unfair laws. Sorting out the oppressive laws against werewolves for example has been helpful, but there are still prejudices" he nodded at Remus Lupin, who looked quite well now, and almost sleek.

"Yes, it has helped a lot" said Remus "But I confess I get a lot of sheltering from both Tonks and her parents; and I worry about our little Teddy, whether he's going to develop the disease and if so what effect it'll have on his life. By the way, I didn't bring Tonks; because she never has been a Marauder any more than Lily was; Krait's a special case, she opened communications between the generations and is kind of a linking Marauder."

"And Sirius is going to marry an existing Marauder anyway" said Willow complacently.

Sirius opened his mouth to mention that the betrothal was only for convenience, looked at Willow and shut it again, a slightly hunted look on his face.

"Now you know how I felt, Padfoot" said Severus with grim amusement. "My little cousin is every bit as determined as my Krait."

"Severus, you're Severin Prince, aren't you?" said Lynx, suddenly "Cousin to a Prince….and a Malfoy wife…..and a mask to cover scars….and you talk like you know about the laws being made."

Severus looked her in the eyes.

"That doesn't go out of this room" he said "There are those who know – Lucius Malfoy for example – but I don't want it bandied about. I like my privacy thank you very much."

"Of course!" said Lynx "But I DO like to know things!"

"Pestiferous brat!" said Severus, amicably.

The Marauders had the opportunity to do some more general good in the school as well as helping out one of the juniors.

Abraxus found Ralph Davenport sobbing his heart out to his brother Francis in Myrtle's loo – a good place for privacy since few people cared for Myrtle's habit of sticking her head through the stall doors while they were busy – and went in to find out what was wrong.

Francis was wary of the Marauders, but Ralph willingly told Abraxus what was wrong.

"I had a collision in quidditch practice and I broke some rotten Ravenclaw kid's broom; and Madam Hooch says she's going to tell my parents and demand that they pay. I TOLD her it was an accident, but she wouldn't believe me!"

"And that's my fault" said Francis "Because Emil had us barging other people with our brooms. Only I'm not sure if mum and dad can pay, Ralph says it was a firebolt…. One of the new ones too, so I guess that means I shan't be able to come back to school next year…" he was close to tears too.

"Look, I'll have a word with Madam Hooch" said Abraxus "I guess she might listen to someone from another house standing up for a young'un; and if she won't, well my friends and me'll chip in and lend you what it takes, 'cos you can always pay it back when you have a job after you leave. I can't let you have it as a gift 'cos we're not as rich as Uncle Lucius and we've twin toddlers at home who keep growing out of clothes every time you turn round; and I wouldn't accept so much as a gift from anyone anyway so I guess you're too proud to do so as well, Francis, because you hide the fact that your parents aren't well off."

"I wouldn't accept it" said Francis "And I'm not even sure of accepting a loan."

"Well if I can talk to Red-card Rolanda maybe you won't have to" said Abraxus "That Emil Porteous is the world's prizest creep! Him and his bitch of a sister, she DESERVED to be doxified by the junior Marauders!"

"Yeah, I wasn't along with them, and I was well glad!" said Francis "I'm trying to dissociate myself from Emil, he's nothing but trouble and he's been getting at Ralph here for having the wrong sort of friends!"

"I'll be friends with who I like" said Ralph trenchantly.

"I wish I'd stuck with Romulus and Hawke when they switched to your gang" said Francis wistfully.

"Well, look, there's nothing to stop you being more friends with us than Porteous" said Abrax "And joining the MSHG; it's fun and you learn self defence, spell and physical. You can't be a Marauder now; too much water under the bridge and all that, but you can be a friend, like Tigonia is, Romulus' second cousin. She'll be glad of someone else to help her ignore Porteous and Derwent, not to mention the Mourne-Parnassus sulk club. Anyway, back soon!"

Abrax whirled off, and almost bumped into David.

"David!" he said "JUST the person! Red-card Rolanda likes you because you take Quidditch seriously and never ride your broom like a skateboard…."

"You don't have to irritate her by shouting 'surf's up' and standing on the ruddy broom" said David mildly "What have you done to annoy her particularly THIS time?"

"Not me….." Abrax quickly explained.

David nodded.

"I'll see her for you" he said "She might just remember that you marauders sabotaged the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match last year by releasing fourteen folded paper golden snitches."

"Oh yeah, there is that" said Abraxus grinning at the memory.

David spoke seriously to Madam Hooch.

"Professor Hooch, I understand you thought young Ralph Davenport deliberately barged a child and broke their broom" he said.

"The Davenports! His brother runs with a gang that does that sort of thing for fun, I don't doubt but that he put his brother up to it!" said Madam Hooch.

"I do doubt it, Ma'am" said David "Young Ralph is a lot different to his brother, though I believe even Francis Davenport is regretting getting in with so rough a gang…. But the little brother is a harmless child, he's on good terms with young Alice Trumball, you know I've been looking out for her…I watched him quite carefully, because of his brother, but I'd say if he said it was an accident, he was probably telling the truth. Have you asked his classmates?"

"No David, I have not; and I would not wish to be unfair. Would you ask a selection of second year Gryffindors to come and tell me what they saw? Being from an entirely different house they should have no bias."

David nodded.

"I'll go and see who saw it" he said.

As it happened both Garjala and Gabrielle had noticed and had just assumed Ralph had been ticked off for carelessness; they were happy to go and tell Madam Hooch that in their opinion Ralph had been over-excited and a bit careless but they were certain he had not even seen the other boy.

"And how like a Ravenclaw to take offence when there was no harm intended too" said Garjala scornfully.

"Thank you, when I want your opinion on other houses Miss Gan Golgo I shall ask you" said Madam Hooch repressively.

The matter was duly sorted out, and the threatened letter never sent, the school standing the damage for the new broom; and both Davenports were exceedingly grateful! Francis started joining his brother at MSHG meetings and wondered why he had let himself miss out on the fun all these years! He might be nervous at first of finding his stern House Master there; but what a difference an informal situation made! Professor Snape actually smiled at him and said

"Welcome to the MSHG Francis; I hope you enjoy yourself."

He had never been addressed by his first name by the grim-visaged professor before; let alone seen him smile at him!

"Don't assume he'll be any different in class" Romulus warned "He's just as starchy with all of us, even more so, because we have to maintain discipline….especially in a potentially dangerous class like potions. It's one of the rules of the MSHG, that we can relax with professors and use their first names providing we're perfectly correct in class and in school."

"Oh…Right" said Francis; who had only the haziest of ideas concerning the very concept of professors even HAVING first names.

The Quidditch mad were excited by a visit from Viktor Krumm, seeker for the World Cup holders, Bulgaria. Viktor had in fact come to see David Fraser, since Bulgaria had already notched up enough points that they would certainly be one of the finalists; and he had tickets to give away and wanted David to have one. Hermione and Ron were to have two others!

"I've had Lucius Malfoy doing the paperwork for me to get my hands on a flying boat to enchant" said David "So I shall be able to take a lot of passengers; Lucius is funding the project and arranging muggle flying lessons for those who want them and Arthur Weasley is helping me enchant it" he went on "It's in Hungary this year isn't it? Any chance of a big lake nearby? With magic I don't need water to land on, but it helps."

"But yes, the pitch is near an isolated reservoir" said Viktor "It sounds a most exciting project."

"Well, Arthur's fascinated by muggle flying, and something that's supposed to fly upsets muggles less than brooms or flying horses" said David "We shan't have to disillusion it unless I have to do something unnatural like pause in mid air! It seemed like a good idea if there's to be an increase in the number of quidditch and duelling matches against the European schools, not to mention future Triwizard competitions; Professor Dumbledore's all for it, he's also listening to my idea that Hogwarts could be hidden more effectively if concealed by obviousness, as a very select private school. Prevents us having to just head off hill walkers, we can put up 'trespassers will be reported as paedophiles' notices. And as muggles have more and more controls over them by THEIR government, it means no-one is going to report the parents of muggleborn pupils of having done away with them or anything, because they'll have nice forged documentation for their kids at this posh school…we'll have inspectors coming from time to time, but they can be easily confunded to give favourable reports. And enough of our people play muggle sports to put together scratch elevens to play other private schools if we get challenged I guess…." David was almost as excited by all the new developments as he was by the chance to go to the World Cup.

Viktor was eager to hear all about Hogwarts – he thought it a better school than Durmstrang – and to watch the youngsters at quidditch practice.

The surfbrooming of the marauders caused him some little surprise.

"If they have so much control, great players will they make!" he declared. David laughed.

"Tell that to our Sport Professor; she declares they give her more grey hairs every time she sees them!"

Viktor laughed too.

"It is unconventional; but so was the Wronski feint the first time Wronski performed it!" he said.

He was a good natured young man, and willingly signed his autograph for people and let them take photographs of him standing beside them; and was talked into playing seeker in a scratch match of staff against a rapidly assembled school team under Ginny Weasley!

"Always I enjoy my times staying in England" he said to David "Where now you have everything in perfect freedom. I envy you."

"Well, Odessa doesn't like us so I expect those of us in the know will go up against them sooner or later" said David, laconically.

Viktor shuddered.

"They are vile…and becoming more so, and more confident in Germany and Eastern Europe" he said "Are you truly prepared to oppose them?"

David met his eyes, quickly checking allegiance with the little legilimensy he had so far learned.

"We are" he said, reading Viktor's loathing of the racist organisation.

"Good; then I will see all that I can hear and pass to you. You and I have already written; I shall write to you of mundane things like how my team does, and you shall heat it before a fire; there are muggle disappearing inks that most wizards have not heard of, I remember Hermo-ninny telling me about them. And in that I shall write all I find. I shall not have things to write every time; but I shall write anyway to establish the habit. Is that good?"

"Excellent practice" approved David "You're a born secret agent if you thought that up on your own! I'm impressed!"

"People think that because I am quite big and clumsy looking off a broom, and good at sports that I must also be a potato head; but I am quite clever" said Viktor. "And coaching too at Durmstrang, I can watch. People like Professor Hesse who is I think not nice."

"We know he belongs to Odessa" said David "Be careful."

Viktor nodded.

"I shall" he assured David.

Abraxus had meanwhile spoken to Krait about Myrtle; and Krait had used her transfiguration skills to make Abrax a pair of gloves that crackled with pure energy with which he could effectively touch Myrtle in order to dance with her.

He was grateful; he and Hawke were already under determined siege from girls of their own age and in the third year hoping to be taken to the ball. Hawke was delighted for his brother and promptly asked Hayley Betts.

"I'd have loved to, but no-one's invited Em" she said "And as my mum and her dad are getting married, we're sisters like you and Abrax are brothers so…you know."

"Emerald won't mind dancing with Kinat will she? He's fleeing from Garjala at the moment, and he'd rather take someone sensible you know" said Hawke.

"Whassat? Yeah" said Kinat, emerging briefly from a book on practical arithmancy he had borrowed from Krait.

"And you'd better ask her civil like too, Kinat old buddy" said Hawke.

Kinat grinned.

"Where is she? Oh over there…Emerald, fancy going to the ball? If I don't dance well enough you can always put the tarantallegra curse on me."

Emerald grinned.

"Like you're going to be doing much dancing when there are eats to be had? Well, if Hayley's going with Hawke, we might as well make a foursome of it; I'll try not to stand on you."

"Cheeky third year brat" said Kinat lazily "If you don't stand on my feet I'll even work out the most propitious arithmantic date for your parents to get wed."

"I'd like that" said Emerald "It's nice to see dad so happy! And to have a mum too!"

Grace and Erich had decided to go together; and as Willow could not really go with her Padfoot she decided to ask Francis Davenport, as much to make a point to the Porteous crowd as because she felt sorry for him. Francis accepted gratefully! When Willow also demanded to see his gown he flushed.

"It was my dad's" he said in a small voice "And I bet it was secondhand then. My brother – the older one – he had to wear it too. It's dire."

"So get it and I'll jolly it up, dunderhead" said Willow.

Somehow being called a dunderhead in such a tone by a marauder was almost better than being praised by Porteous. Francis meekly brought his gown, threadbare in places and quite antiquated.

"MMMmmm" said Willow.

"Told you it was bad" said Francis.

"K, but I can do stuff" said Willow "Glad I asked you now, if it'd been the night before the ball I'd've been truly bolloxed over it. I'll turn it completely, the fabric on the inside's not too bad; and at least it isn't velvet or I couldn't have done that. Never mind the lining; it's dead as Voldemort anyway, I'll line it with some curtain stuff from the boxrooms HALLELUJAH!" she said "I have an idea!"

She galloped coltishly off and grabbed Hawke.

"What are you doing about the stuff from Cosmo's trunk?" she asked.

"Dunno; Abrax and me thought we'd wear the cloaks, they're so period they're cool; and we liked the way they swirled. Why?"

"D'you think Cosmo'd like to help another downtrodden Slytherin?"

Hawke thought a moment.

"Yes; yes I think he would….let me ask the twin…." He concentrated; the twins had forged mental bonds beyond the usual bloodbond to have a telepathic link at will. "He says, go for it" he said "You mean to dress Francis, I take it?"

Willow nodded; and made all haste to the boxroom.

Krait had made contrasting sleeves fashionable the year before, by being seen in public with a gown with sleeves and trim in a contrasting fabric, in order to make it easier for poorer pupils to make over gowns. Francis' gown had been a good quality wool/linen mix when it was new, but years of wear had made it very sad. There were moth holes too. The one advantage was that it was a fairly inoffensive blue, woven in a self-coloured damask weave of interwoven leaves.

"Dammit, Cosmo, what can I do with this to make it a makeover not a new gown that he's too proud to accept?" Willow muttered to herself. "Besides, you wore short gowns and were short too…. I know!"

Willow found a gown of soft blue velvet; those Malfoys who did not wear black exclusively soon found out that their pale looks were emphasised by blues or violets or slate greys according to their eye colour; presumable Cosmo had periwinkle blue eyes. In the dry, airtight chest, enchanted to keep out moth and resist damage, the cloth was like new. She took it up to show Francis.

His eyes were wide.

"Where did that come from?" he demanded.

"Boxroom; long dead teacher" she said "I asked a descendant if I could use stuff as fabric; he said yes, so long as I left the cloaks for him. Nice, isn't it? Bit on the short side – he was, and fashions then were calf length anyhow, so I thought I'd cut it about and use your gown in trim 'cos that decorated fabric is all the rage for trims this season. These sleeves are too full anyway for the modern era; reckon if I take them out, they'll lengthen it enough with a piping of damask where they join and as a trim at the bottom…it's fine from the frayed bit to ankle height to the shiny bit where you sit on it. The elbows are gone, so I'll only put them in from there, and reset the velvet sleeve head; at least it ain't too full at the top."

"Why are you going to this trouble?"

"'Swhat friends are for, ain't it?" said Willow "We put the past behind us; you're a friend now." She grinned "I wonder what you'd think of the previous owner…."

"Who was it?"

"A part goblin Malfoy of all things, who taught astronomy until he was murdered…"

"Is that why you lot have been going about looking solemn and Porteous' sister reckoned Abraxus was crying?" he asked "And why Mr Malfoy came?"

"Yes… we found Cosmo's body and started digging for facts" said Willow. "Reckon he'd like someone who was bullied to have some of his finery…..stylish little sod he was for his time."

"Perhaps you'll tell me more about him…. I'm surprised he was let in!"

"Oh nobody knew he was part goblin; it was only about an eighth, and he never let on. A fellow called Tom Avery guessed – or found out" said Willow; and told him the story.

"He had guts I reckon" said Francis.

"Yeah" said Willow. "I need to go and skank the use of Krait's – uh, Madam Malfoy's sewing machine."

Willow's own gown had been made by her muggle grandmother to a design from 'Which Witch' but she had learned how to sew from the old lady and felt quite competent at altering Francis' gown – especially with some advice on the difficulties of dealing with velvet from Krait!

Francis stroked the finished article with wonder.

"Thanks Willow" he said in deep gratitude "You really are one of the best!"

"Meh" said Willow, dismissively; but he knew she was pleased.

It would do his brother now as well once he had left, though he'd need one of his own for a couple of years; perhaps Willow might be kind enough to help make over whatever secondhand gown Ralph ended up with! His own older brother having left the year before Harry Potter his old gown had been available; but this was the first time Francis had not wished his brother had been closer to him in age so he had to have a new gown of his own that had to be better!

There was one small piece of excitement before the ball.

Sirius Black asked for volunteers to help him deal with some boggarts who had infested a couple of classrooms.

He had plenty of volunteers from the MSHG to deal with them, ready to drive them into properly prepared boxes to be taken away.

There were a profusion of can-canning spiders, Voldemorts and dementors in pink bloomers, Professor Snapes doing cartwheels and one giant vampire squirrel dancing a jig.

There were also three unhappy little squirming black hominids cowering in the toilet under the implacable wand of Jade Snape.

"What in tarnation did you do to them Jadie?" asked Sirius.

"Showed them their own worst nightmare" said Jade calmly.

"Er…right" said Sirius. "Right you three, into the box; you don't impress me any."

"Shift or I'll come with you" said Jade.

They shifted.

As Sirius later said to Severus,

"Your daughter appears to have as little concept of conventional as your wife."

Severus grinned.

"We Snapes live but to please?" he said.

He and Krait had themselves rounded up a number of boggarts in the Ravenclaw lower school dormitories by dint of picking them up by the scruff of the neck and dropping them in boxes.

They had already overcome their greatest terror; and could see boggarts as they truly were, a feat they shared with Sirius, Draco and Harry.

And apparently Jade.

Severus asked her about it.

"I don't have any fears really" said Jade "Because life is as it is; and I can defend myself against nasty muggles if I have to, and I've bounced the killing curse like the rest of you and I guess fighting Voldemort put a nawful lot of things into perspective. So I peer through their attempts to be tickling and touching men and see what they are and let loose legilimensy on them and do it back. 'seasy."

Krait and Severus exchanged rueful looks.

"And now I see why you got all uptight about me doing things that should be beyond me" said Krait. "Legilimency? Oh well, so long as you study occlumency too…."

"I think that's one way of resisting their attempts to 'fluence what I see" said Jade seriously. "You KNOW I can do more than most fourth years anyway."

"True enough" said Severus "Perhaps we should have let you start a year early as you knock around with the first years; but you'll stand a marauder to help next year's first years and we can always jump you up a year later."

"Oh I don't mind" said Jade "I can spend all my time up to OWLs just having fun because the work will be a gas. 'Cept new studies like comparative magic that I don't know about." She beamed at them. "Can I go now? It's my turn to sweep the secret room."

"Run along" said Krait, looking at Severus and laughing helplessly. "Kids! Who'd have 'em?"

The day of the ball came, a welcome relief after end of term exams, and the rivalry between some of the fifth – notably Ravenclaws – to be top of the class. David was studying for ten OWLs, one more than usual, as he was fitting in astronomy tutorials on top of everything else and studying out of books. He would have liked to have studied comparative magic, but it was too new a subject to have covered in the year; and besides, no exam was yet formulated. David considered taking it to OWL alongside his NEWTs; if he could fit it in, which was really quite unlikely. He was glad to be able to take Geomancy as taught by Sirius, whilst Professor Lupin taught DADA. He was a good teacher too; and David felt himself lucky to have had such good teachers in the subject, each one with a different approach. He did not count the few weeks in which Dolores Umbridge had failed to teach; but had fond memories of Krait's approach as she took the junior classes until Sirius had been cleared and vindicated. Best however had been Padfoot, Scales and Moonie; it took a marauder to really teach how to defend against Dark Arts. Not that Professor Moody was not a good teacher; but ….just but.

David was of course taking Ellie to the Ball again; and she went in her own right this year. There would be comment about that; to take the same person two years running was tantamount to admitting to courtship. Not that David minded admitting it; he just hoped Ellie would not get any ill natured comments.

The only real comments were the gasps of horror when Abraxus led in Myrtle.

Myrtle's one real regret was that she was stuck in everyday attire and could not change into a ghostly gown; but she was smirking as Abraxus held her hand with his special spectral glove.

It quite stole the show; and even startled Professor Dumbledore into saying,

"Well, bless my soul!"

It had taken some nifty magic on Krait's part to stretch the boundaries of Myrtle's confinement; Myrtle being allowed free range in the school only in the case of a declared emergency, in order to help the other ghosts. Krait had been busy tracing all the drains that led under the Great Hall and checking how far from pipes Myrtle was allowed to be; and laying a piece of superfluous plumbing specifically to meet the requirements. Even so, Myrtle had only a limited range and could not approach the far corner; but it was enough that Abrax could take her at all.

Abraxus and Myrtle drifted into a dance as though quite oblivious of the stir they were causing. Myrtle was actually exultant. Enough of the children had been uncaring and even downright rude to her that she was enjoying them wondering if she could now escape her toilet to haunt them. Even more she was enjoying Abraxus' caring touch through the special gloves. He could not wear them all the time but had to take them off between dances; but that didn't matter.

"Next year we'll come to the ball properly" whispered Myrtle.

"And then I can kiss you properly" said Abrax "Instead of just blowing kisses to you."

Dumbledore spoke to Krait.

"That boy is going to get hurt; half a loaf is NOT better than no bread where love is concerned I'd say."

Krait looked at him thoughtfully.

"That's why we're building her a new body" she said.

"But my dear girl! Is that possible?"

"It worked for my repellent parent" said Krait "We have the ritual; Abrax will make a willing sacrifice. Her parents live still. We dug up her skeleton to build the rest on. Unicorn blood; Ffawkes donated some tears; my blood and the bloodgroup. It might not work but I'd say we had every chance of success of tying her soul back into a rebuilt body. Because she's a child. Wouldn't work with an adult I don't think. Want to come, Albus?"

"I most assuredly do, Krait my child. Well if you and Severus have worked out a ritual I have every hope it may work…. You must be prepared for it not pleasing the other ghosts though."

"I guess that's irrelevant; Abrax doesn't want to snog any of them" said Krait.

"Nevertheless, if I were you, I'd confide in Sir Edward and appeal to him over supporting Abrax as his descendant" suggested Dumbledore.

"Y'know, Albus, I reckon that's a really wise idea. Thank you" said Krait. She slid off to find the Bloody Baron – who avoided jollity as a general rule – to tell him about it.

She also laid on thick her duty to redress wrongs done by the pet of her ancestor Slytherin. Sir Edward was a stickler for duty.

Sir Edward was actually enthusiastic.

"Didn't ought to be child ghosts" he said "Poor little things! You do what you can; I'll come along and watch and do what I can. And if it doesn't work, well I'll see if I can't get through the veil with her, give her some company. Got nothing against Myrtle Carmichael; she isn't a fatuous fool like some of them."

By which he meant Nearly-Headless Nick of course.

Krait was pleased; if anyone could terrorise the other ghosts to stay out of it, it was Sir Edward!

Teague, who was holidaying in the castle over the holiday, received a visit from a solicitor from Ireland, who regretted to inform him that his uncle had been defrauding the estate.

"Sure, and couldn't I have told yu that ef yu'd only been ready tu listen tu me when the creep sent me off ter school" said Teague. "And isn't it lucky I am that this is a foine school and me happy here?"

"Er quite" said the solicitor "And isn't meself your only guardian now, Me Lord, and wishful tu know ef it's stayin' at school you're wishful t'du, and what ye'll be doin' ef so about the holidays."

"Sure and will ye not find me a good adult student that's needin' money fer old rope ter be there fer the long holidays, and him able ter study and me and any friends I bring home able ter get intu throuble without him needing to help?" said Teague.

"That.. er that might work" said the solicitor. "Very well; I shall see your headmaster about continuing to pay the fees and such extra as is required for the short holidays."

Teague was happy enough; he might be homesick for Ballyconny at times but he could learn far more with those who were residents of the castle to make up for having only barely enough magic to qualify to be here. And here too he might learn more about the fey for real not just in stories!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The Marauders who were holidaying in London were holding a how-do-we-keep-Abrax-from-climbing-the-walls meeting while the object of their meeting was visiting Myrtle's parents for the day.

"Supplies" said Senagra "We need to make sure there's canned food – and can openers – for the secret room in case anyone has to spend any length of time there. And a spirit burner might be handy for cooking – you know, if it becomes important not to use any magic at all in there to lie low."

"That's a very good point" said Kinat approvingly "Well, two very good points. I didn't realise my sister was that bright; being a marauder has improved you."

Senagra stuck out her tongue at him.

"What are we going to use as money?" asked Hawke "I know technically we could ask previous Marauders for a donation, but I'd like it to be our thing…."

"Well most of us are good at potions aren't we?" said Senagra "Why don't we invest in ingredients and make beauty preparations to sell to fifth and sixth formers? That'll be profitable, big girls are always daubing their faces with some stuff or other."

"She's on a real roll, isn't she?" said Romulus "Been taking wit-sharpening potion have you, kid?"

"Unlike BOYS I don't need it" said Senagra with asperity.

Romulus chuckled unabashed.

They pooled their money and decided to buy some supplies as well as ingredients for increasing their wealth; and headed for the nearest foodhall.

They were on their way back with cans of such things as spam, baked beans and tinned peaches, which they decided covered most dietary needs, when they saw that Abrax had returned and was now fleeing from the house, pursued by his mother bearing a salmon in a most aggressive manner.

Severus was outside dressing a tree in a pot and turned to stare as Abrax ducked in the Snapes' gate crying,

"Sanctuary, Severus, help, mad mum!"

Severus came to the gate.

"Hello Wendy. You appear to have a fish in your hand" said Severus.

"Hello Severus" said Wendy in a dangerous sort of voice "I have a son who ought to be clouted with it."

Severus raised one eyebrow.

"In my opinion, Wendy, as both House Master to one of them and Potions Master to both, I'd say you have two sons who ought to be clouted with whatever came to hand. What has Abraxus done specifically this time?"

Abrax came into view at a safe distance from the fish.

"I only asked mum when she was getting pregnant again and suggested that if she had quads we could get one into each house" he said, sounding injured.

Severus looked at Wendy; and both grown ups fell about in helpless laughter.

"Have you stopped being cross with me mum?" asked Abraxus, warily.

"Yes… but to ask a question like that when I'm in the middle of doing food for Christmas when your sisters have managed already to cover themselves in flour AND honey and fed honey into the motor of the hoover because it was hungry…. It's been an interesting day. And here's your brother with tins of food….tell me Hawke, am I starving you or something?"

"Oh no, mum, it's for school."

Wendy raised her own brows at Severus.

"The food got so bad they'd prefer spam, hot-dog sausages and beans?"

"Not so I noticed…. I expect it's for an illicit feast and as a professor I had better not notice" said Severus "I SHALL however punish anyone who is dopey in class next day and anyone who is sick deserves it."

"It's for…." Began Jade

"SHHH!" said the others.

"He IS a marauder" said Jade.

"We might tell you another time, Scales, when you don't have to do professor at us" said Hawke.

"Meantime I know nothing about it" said Severus firmly "DO try to smuggle it into school with a bit more finesse than a J Sainsbury bag."

The tins disappeared into various trunks of luggage to be taken a bit at a time up to the secret room; the ingredients for beauty products were easy enough to purchase in a trip to Diagon Alley – claiming a need for expendables – and were also slipped in. The largest of these was the cake of beeswax as a basis for many ointments and creams; and the most risky was the Sainsbury's sunflower oil to use as a carrier base for other ingredients.

"If it bursts in anyone's clothes it'll be disastrous" said Jade.

"We'll ask one of the house elves that work for us to take it" said Hawke "They aren't so likely to get curious and ask awkward questions like Sirri and Beloc. We could I guess, but we did promise not to apparate unless it was either a blood group thing or an emergency."

"It'll be handy when Mimi is old enough to be a marauder" said Jade. "I guess you could ask Dobby or Winky too, 'cos Winky reckons she belongs to Lynx and Dobby is almost a marauder."

"And Winky hasn't got any imagination or curiosity at all either" said Hawke "Neat thought!"

The Marauders boarded the train looking as though butter would not melt in their mouths nor corned beef in their clothes trunks.

It was a great relief however that the only trunk spilled by the goblin porter that burst was Colin Weasley's; and the Malfoy twins pointed and laughed on general principle.

The whole school was excited that such famous alumni as Draco, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville were rumoured to be going to return at some point near the beginning of term to give a duelling display.

That they were going to be there would soon get out anyway; someone would see and recognise them. So Severus had spread the rumour, and the duelling display would in fact happen as a cover for the real reason the whole blood group was to gather.

Abrax and Hawke had discussed some things with Jade and the other New Marauders; and dragged Lynx, Fabian and Senagra into a carriage together and set up jinxes on the door to deter any interruption.

"D'you know why some of us have the scar?" asked Hawke, bluntly.

"Because you did a secret ritual" said Senagra.

"Yes; blood magic" said Hawke "For Harry. But it protects us all." He proceeded to explain to the three. "And it goes through blood unborn too, because Krait and Sev's baby's are part of it and Sirri's babies too, even Sevvy who's Dobby's not Severus'" he explained "So any children we have will be part of it too."

"Sirri has a child with Severus? I thought he loved Krait!" said Lynx shocked.

Hawke shrugged.

"I guess they both love her a lot… it's none of my business, and if they're happy I'm not about to comment or interfere. Uncle Lucius effectively has two wives; and they get on just dandy. Anyway, we're going to be doing a big ceremony; and we thought we'd invite you to blood in with us too and help with it."

He went on to explain about Myrtle.

The Junior marauders were of course enthusiastic; but Hawke nodded approval at Fabian's initial reservations and desires to have several points clarified.

"Assuming the babes aren't there we'll be twenty five without Myrtle which is not a bad arithmantic number; but I've got a feeling Krait wants to try and see if blooding makes Sephara less squibbish" said Hawke "And that means with Myrtle we'd be three raised to the power of three which is a really good number and likely to enhance the whole ceremony; I'd do anything for my brother and that's why I'm suggesting bringing you in now."

"Does Madam Malfoy know you're asking us?" asked Lynx.

"No; I wasn't going to tell her unless you said yes" said Hawke, cocked his head on one side and said, "Hello, sounds like someone braved our jinxes."

Lynx giggled.

She was still sufficiently inexperienced in enchanting as a subject to be impressed at anyone tying jinxes to a door.

It was to be several days before the time was right; which meant there was still time for trouble to occur.

Trouble came in the form of a blockage in the staff toilet by the potions dungeon; and Severus was most distinctly NOT amused.

"WHO is the author of this unholy concatenation?" he demanded "I shall find out; it is better to own up."

None of the fourth years who were on their way to break spoke up; but Myrtle popped out of the tap.

"It was those two, Severus, and that one got some on her skirt and it's burnt a hole" she said, pointing to Elisa Mourne and Dione Parnassus.

"Much as I dislike sneaking, I also dislike lying; and by refusing to speak you lived a lie at me" said Severus. "Miss Carmichael, for sneaking, you can clear the blockage at the other end since it falls within your remarkable talents; Miss Mourne, Miss Parnassus, you have cleaned up after enough of your turbid transgressions and malodorous messes to know where the cleaning equipment is. It will be cleared by the end of break or I will want to know the reason why."

Myrtle dived, unabashed, into the toilet, reflecting that Severus was reminding her that soon she would be a solid little girl required to call him 'Professor Snape' in class and likely to get into trouble from his sharp tongue if she was not up to scratch. And yet in a way that was so nice, to have a chance to be just like anyone else! Myrtle cleared the blockage and popped out of the toilet.

"I say you two" she said loudly "I'm sorry I sneaked, I got in the habit of being nasty when everyone was nasty to me…you two are rude to me but I guess sneaking was too much."

"Yeah" said Parnassus.

"Go vomit yourself" said Mourne.

Myrtle splashed her with water from the toilet pan and dived back down.

They might be a trouble when she was solid; they were her age too after all.

Still, no-one expected Slytherin girls to be nice. Except the ones who were in the MSHG of course; Krait had made a real difference to Slytherin house!

The famous few arrived to great cheers.

The duelling display was not perhaps as spectacular in some ways as the one at Durmstrang; Hermione's heart was not really in something that was only a smokescreen, but Ron and Neville, who had not taken part in the Durmstrang venture had a great deal of fun, and Harry and Draco exhibited duelling as a body contact sport just for fun. And if Professor Flitwick muttered things about it not being done like that in his young day, the younger spectators enjoyed it no end, even when Harry accidentally exploded the chains of one of the candelabra that might have caused some serious damage to the spectators had not Hermione seen the danger and hurriedly and wandlessly caught and lowered it to the ground.

"Sorry Albus" said Harry.

"No harm done my boy, no harm done!" said Dumbledore cheerfully, which left Hermione muttering darkly again about that only being thanks to her own perspicacity and something about men never growing up once they reached about thirteen.

"Eight" said Krait.

"What?" said Hermione.

"You said they never get past thirteen… I was offering my opinion that it's closer to eight."

Hermione laughed reluctantly.

"Let's just agree they never grow up… oh no, not that old chestnut the tooth growing hex!"

"I heard you profited from that in the end, because Madam Pomfrey shrank your teeth to the size you wanted…"

"THAT's beside the point" said Hermione.

Mr and Mrs Carmichael arrived quietly late at night in a flying carriage; and the blood group assembled in Myrtle's loo.

"With the babes out, if you're putting in Sephara, these three make twenty seven with Myrtle" said Hawke "I thought it was auspicious…."

"I was going with twenty four, also auspicious….but I like, if they're willing" said Krait "We ought to have their parents' permission of course…."

"Dad knows I do what I think's right" said Lynx.

"Our parents are fine about Kinat, I think they'll like me protected" said Senagra.

"Mine will be far happier not knowing you know" said Fabian.

Krait sighed.

"Too late to quibble anyway" she said "I'll get Myrtle's bones in the cauldron and get it going then I'll give the signal to blood up; and if any of you three chicken out at the last minute, none of you get in, I need my numbers right."

"We shan't!" said Lynx shocked.

"Time please" said Krait "Blood up and exchange, new ones, with each, quickly now, and keep dripping to be ready. Here…" she slit her own palm and held it to smear to each of the new ones before turning back to the cauldron, which Severus was stirring carefully, holding out his own bloody hand absently.

"Bones of the body to be renewed in" said Severus "Boomslang skin prepared in salts to aid transformation… Blood of the parents freely given with love…" and Krait put in the boomslang skin and poured in the vial of blood she had previously taken "Blood of the blood of the murderer, freely given in remorse for his deed…" and Krait let her blood pour in "Tears of the phoenix, freely given to counteract the Basilisk poison….blood of a unicorn donated willingly….." and Krait emptied a tiny crystal vial of sparkling clear liquid and the larger amount of silvery unicorn blood; and the reddish liquid turned an achingly bright silver. Severus smiled in grim relief; it was working. "Blood of her truest friends and dearest love…" each approached in turn to let a single drop of blood fall in the cauldron. Severus glanced at the clock "Synchronise heartbeats…flesh of her own true love given in sacrifice of love beyond love" Severus finished with a counter-clockwise flourish; Krait pointed her wand at the cauldron, its end against the resurrection stone; and Abrax, pale but determined reached into to the seething, boiling liquid, gritting his teeth but failing to restrain the cry of agony. He was blocking the others taking his pain; as he saw it, that was part of the sacrifice, to experience her pain to help bring her back. And there was a hand gripping his in its intolerable pain that must be endured, a hand at first bony, becoming more solid….Abraxus pulled backwards, and willing hands came to support him and the naked bemused little girl who was now looking in horror at the bones of his left hand where the flesh had boiled off.

Abrax passed out.

When he came to, he was in the sick bay; and Myrtle was in the next bed, fast asleep. Her parents also slept.

Dumbledore was sitting beside him.

"Hello sir" said Abrax "Is everyone all right?"

"They are indeed my boy: and Sir Edward is guarding your door right now from the other ghosts."

"Oh, I suppose some of them might get jealous" said Abraxus "Well, tough."

"Exactly" said Dumbledore. "How are YOU?"

"Fine….better than I thought I was going to be when I passed out…. I hope Myrtle won't mind me having bones…. I guess I ought to sever it at the wrist…." he withdrew his hand from under the sheets and looked at it, expecting to see a bony travesty.

Instead there was a perfect hand of white marble. He gasped.

"How….?"

"My little gift to you my boy for your fortitude and the proof of what I have long said, that love can conquer ANY barrier; it's from the angel memorial to Myrtle. I asked her parents; they said they were only to happy for you to have it."

Abrax flexed it, joyously; what nice people Myrtle's parents were!

"What are they going to tell people? When she goes home for the holidays?" Abrax suddenly thought of that.

"Oh we invented a spurious son for them, I've seen to all the paperwork myself; she's his granddaughter, their great-granddaughter, all her family died in one of the disasters engineered by the deatheaters, that was easy to arrange. Far easier to have spurious family members who aren't alive to ask questions of, hmmm?"

"Yes, I suppose so" said Abraxus. "It really worked!"

"Did you ever doubt it?"

"I guess at times I didn't dare hope too much…but not deep down, no I never doubted it…. It was in the hands of the greatest potioneer in the world and his star pupil. What really could go wrong?"

"Ah Abraxus! Never forget that love and trust are the keys to everything" said Dumbledore. "Now, my boy, get some sleep."

"…..relax, son, you've had a busy day" murmured Abrax sleepily, wondering if Draco had been able to resist saying it.

"Just what Draco said" murmured Dumbledore, answering that question.

Next time Abraxus awoke it was because two warm little arms went around him and his nose was kissed. He opened his eyes. Myrtle, in blue striped pyjamas two sizes too large for her, was sitting on his bed.

"Hello sleepy head" she said "Now you're awake I shall do the job properly"

Before Abraxus could protest that her parents were watching, Myrtle kissed him very thoroughly on the mouth. Abraxus wondered wryly if she had been spying jealously on other people, which made her such a good kisser; then he gave up and enjoyed it.

He put his arms around her and hugged her firmly. At last Myrtle pried herself off his lips.

"We so are going to need to go to Diagon Alley to kit me up; people have loaned me some clothes but I have no school kit at all!" she said "And I'm raring to go….when I've spent some time with mum and dad. Do you mind me going with them? After all you've gone through for me?"

"I think it's really nice you get to have them back as well as them having you… take as long as you need" said Abraxus "You can always feel me; our blood sings together. We be of one blood, ye and I."

"Krait has a thing about Kipling!" laughed Myrtle "At least I'VE read Jungle Book."

"Well I like Kipling too... and let me mangle one of his poems….

Oh life is life and death is death and never the twain shall meet

Until love conquers the secret veil with the sound of the true heartbeat"

"That's so clever!" squealed Myrtle and kissed him again.

Abraxus kissed her back; and smacked her backside gently.

"Get dressed and go home" he said "We'll meet again soon enough, and not necessarily on the Road to Mandalay…"

He listened, when Myrtle had left, to a whispered shouting match between Madam Pomfrey and Severus about letting children take part in such a dangerous ritual, and how could he experiment with their lives like that just to see if some wretched potion worked.

Severus let her rant and said coldly,

"Try getting all your facts straight before you start making excessive and inaccurate accusations, Poppy; now let me see Abraxus."

"Have you no feelings at all?" demanded the school nurse. "why you seem to care nothing even for your own children, letting them take part in this – this - risky and uncalled for business!"

Abrax knew that would have hurt Severus, and started to get up.

Severus was, he knew, regarding Poppy Pomfrey with glittering black eyes his face wiped of emotion as he always looked when people said something hurtful.

"You are offensive Poppy" he said.

"I would say this – ceremony – was offensive Severus" said madam Pomfrey "And almost dark magic!"

"Indeed" said Severus flatly "Then I suggest you take up your complaint with the head, whose sanction I had to perform the ritual and who attended the whole. Good day to you."

Abraxus was almost dressed when he came in.

"I'm sorry you're getting flak for me Scales" said Abraxus "Shall I go and tell her?"

"Oh I shouldn't bother… Poppy Pomfey isn't interested in any facts, she's already made up her mind" said Severus sarcastically. Abraxus was almost certain that he was aware that she had followed him in and could hear his comments. She sniffed loudly, indicating her disapproval of not showing a solid front before a student as much as for Severus himself.

Abraxus wondered if half her disapproval of Severus was jealousy that he could cure some cursed wounds where she herself could not.

He held out his new hand to Severus.

"Look, isn't it fine? I thought I'd have a stump!" he said.

"It is beautiful….far more so than the cursed thing poor Peter had when he gave his hand to restore Voldemort" said Severus softly "Albus is a man of er, infinite resource and sagacity; I had never thought of it. I was going to fit you with a magical prosthetic later, but this is so much more apt. Come with me down the stairs; the ghosts have been holding an indignation meeting and some of them want to haunt you. I fancy your new hand might be able to discourage that; but while you're a little shaky I want to escort you."

The ghosts were out in force; though Sir Edward left the group and walked at Abrax's side as the others hissed and booed.

"How could you, Abraxus?" demanded Nick, his head flopping uncomfortably.

"With a great deal of thought, debate, consideration of the rights and wrongs; and with the sacrifice of this" he held up his hand.

"It is inappropriate" said the Grey Lady.

"Why? Jealous? I'm sorry, but life's not fair and I guess nor is the sort of half-life you types are condemned to either" said Abraxus. "You at least were all adults when you died; now grow up and get a – er death I suppose" he finished lamely.

"And quite right!" bellowed Sir Edward. "He loved; he trusted; and so did Myrtle and if any of us had been capable of doing that, we'd not have been in the state we are now. YOU!" he pointed to Nick "ought to support your house man; and YOU" pointing at the Hufflepuff fat Friar "Should be glad for one of your house and wish her all the best!"

The fat Friar looked sheepish.

"You are right, Sir Edward" he said "Quite right of course; sheer jealousy. Yes, you are right; and I wish you and Myrtle all the best, young man, even if she has picked her boyfriend out of House; you showed integrity and dedication worthy of a Hufflepuff!"

"Thanks" said Abraxus, managing a smile.

Nick was obviously deciding to sulk; but Nick could sulk very well when he chose to. Some of the rest resorted to muttering; some looked as sheepish as the fat Friar and drifted off guiltily.

And then Binns turned up.

"Dear me, have I missed a meeting?" he said "Terribly sorry…. Been engaged in important research work you know….morning Mr Malfoy, Severus…. I need to see that temporary replacement of mine, ask him to look up a reference for me…." And he wandered through a wall.

Abraxus looked at Severus; and they both could not resist laughing.

"Good old Binnsey" said Abrax "Entirely unmoved by anything that doesn't involve goblin wars!"

There had been much speculation in the school over what had kept Abraxus Malfoy, normally rudely healthy, in the sanatorium for two nights – he had slept it off longer than he had realised – and caused a row between Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey. Apparently Professor McGonagall was inclined, at least at first, to side with Pomfrey; and Professor Black with Snape, leading to a coldness in Gryffindor tower; but after talking to the Headmaster, McGonagall seemed to drop back to a more neutral stance on whatever fascinating issue it may be.

Abraxus was showered with questions; as was Hawke.

They met the questions in what they felt was a Snapish way by staring at the questioner as though they were a flobberworm and not saying anything.

Derwent and Porteous were most upset that they could not find anything out.

"You'd think when half the school ghosts boo Abraxus Malfoy when he walks past and half the professors are at loggerheads someone would let SOMETHING slip" complained Porteous. "Hey, Davenport, you're in with that soppy crowd now, do you know?"

"I neither know nor do I want to know" said Francis "Because if they had Harry Potter and all those hard people in and it STILL ended in Abraxus Malfoy losing a hand, it was pretty big. If you ask me they found another basilisk and Abrax had his hand bitten off doing something Gryffish."

And that was the rumour that proceeded to circulate!

Sephara meanwhile was delighted to find that being of the bloodgroup boosted her abilities to the point that her spells actually succeeded more times than not; and that her potioneering suddenly went from acceptable to really rather good.

It was a pity she let that go to her head and stirred rather too enthusiastically without putting her wand down and Severus called for a rapid evacuation of the potions dungeon as blue clouds of smoke billowed from her cauldron, changing into psychedelic colours as it rose.

"Oh Miss Yaxley" he sighed "And you were doing so well.. DO try to concentrate when you are stirring; sending us dancing, laughing and puking around the castle on purpose is one thing, but to almost do so by accident is distressingly inept of you."

"I'm very sorry Professor Snape" said Sephara trying not to giggle.

"Sorry? Don't be SORRY, be careful!" said Severus waspishly "I say this many times every year…are you sure you have no Weasley blood in you, Miss Yaxley?"

Sephara did giggle at that.

"I suppose as much as you sir" she managed.

Severus gave her a look.

Poor Sephara had got the giggles now in earnest.

Severus sighed.

"Apparently you caught a whiff of your own unwholesome concoction" he said "Go and ask Madam Pomfrey for…. No on second thoughts, it's not a severe enough hysteria for glumbumble juice, go and get a glass of water and breathe deeply in the cold air outside until your unfortunate affliction subsides. The rest of you, when I have cleared the dungeon air of Miss Yaxley's unfortunate effusions, we may return to work. I will accept no excuses for not finishing on time, this should be a simple enough beverage" and he stalked back in shooing a small wind before him as Sephara went to collapse in Myrtle's loo – Myrtle's no longer - to indulge herself fully in a fit of giggles over the look on Severus' face and his wonderful command of language.

It was hard not to feel like laughing all the time; she was treated like a human being, allowed to make decisions over what she studied, allowed to study, allowed to play with the little ones without having to care for them, encouraged to join in conversations and express her opinions and was treated like she was valued by Severus and Krait. And now she could even feel magic at her fingertips! There was so much to be joyful over….poor Severus, she shouldn't laugh when he worked so hard to teach her….

She whooped again and leaned weakly on the entrance to the chamber of secrets that she now knew the parseltongue to open….

And Myrtle would be in her class soon and they would be catching up together; and that would be good too!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The contingent of fey that turned up at the castle were reduced in number; and they came during the evening rather than late at night. They milled around the outer defences; apparently the solemnity of the vow sworn over the game of quidditch bound them as thoroughly as the other safeguards.

Severus went out to see what they wanted; having set Beloc to collect up Gabrielle, Bethan and Teague who were the ones at risk.

Krait hovered, ready to change into a basilisk if need be.

The apparently richly dressed man came forward; having once used the ointment Severus found he could see the man's true ragged appearance.

"I am the King of the Sidhe!"the fey declared grandly.

"You are the Chieftain of the Scottish Unseelie Court" said Severus

The chieftain glowered at him.

"I hold great power" he said loftily.

Severus gave him a look.

"So do I if it comes to that; and power that the likes of you can never understand. But unless you're after a duel, how about cutting to the chase and telling me what it is you want? We don't scare easily at Hogwarts, you are better to express yourself plainly and without engaging in waving your ego at me."

The Chieftain was plainly furious; but he looked at the scar blazing on Severus' forehead and forced himself to smile.

"Why it is no big thing!" he said "I merely thought that to foster better relations I would place my son here, who is ten, in your care as a hostage, that he might go to Hogwarts school and be a fellow to humans and any other kind that you have there."

Severus regarded him thoughtfully; and looked at the mutinous eyed little boy. He was a pale child, skinny and half naked with fine blonde hair – probably; with the dirt it was hard to tell – and big grey eyes. He appeared with glamour to be every inch a princeling in fine satin and velvet. Severus felt a pang of pity for him.

"Well now" he said "I don't think we need any hostages, oh chieftain; but I will personally be glad to accept your son under my roof as my guest until he is of an age to begin at Hogwarts, where he will be a guest of the school – as all are indeed" and he smiled brightly.

Mixed emotions chased themselves over the chief's face; predominantly frustrated anger. As Severus knew, a hostage was not bound by the laws of hospitality.

"How generous of you" said the chief. He did not sound as if he meant it.

"Why not at all; we are always glad to foster interracial harmony" smiled Severus "And if he is invited in, he is exempt from the vow that holds you all distant; though of course he is equally bound by the vow not to cause any harm to the school or its inhabitants. Which does of course cover basilisks" he smiled again. "He looks so eager to participate in the wonders of modern education" he added with deep sarcasm.

The boy pulled a face.

"Laddie, if you don't want to come, we'll not force it on you, you know" said Severus "I know fine well you've orders to betray your hosts, but you cannot if you try, nor can you find and kill a basilisk if that was a secondary order to take advantage of you being half human, as you appear to be. You cannot serve your father as he wishes; so you shall choose to be my guest or return freely."

The boy shot a quick look of fear at his father, and one of speculation at Severus.

"I'll stay with you" he said sullenly.

"You give the boy into my care then?" said Severus.

"I do" said the Chief "He shall stay in your household and when he is old enough he shall be as a guest in Hogwarts school." Plainly he sought to extract all he could from the situation and hope his son could do as much damage as possible until he was an official guest of the school.

Severus grinned suddenly.

"You have surrendered a half human into the wardship of a full human which gives me all rights of fatherhood to him, that you have abrogated; that he shall obey me in all things not you, and be my fosterling and a sibling to my children bound by your word as loyal to me. He is mine for seven years. You can't find a way to creep around the conditions, chief; so leave the boy and get out. What's your name, laddie?"

"Seaghsron" said the boy.

"Hawknose, eh? A bit like mine" said Severus.

"I answer to Seagh".

"Good; it shouts better. And easier in Gaelic since we already have a Hawke in the school. Now my lad, let's get you to my quarters and see about a hot bath and some decent clothes for you; those rags are most disreputable."

That even more than being foiled sent the self-styled king howling into his strange form of wizarding space in frustration. What could one do against wizards so powerful that they could see through glamour and twist one's own words?

Seagh did not enjoy being bathed; but he enjoyed even less being told not to make the sort of fuss that would disgrace small Lilith.

"Is the wee one no a Basilisk?" he asked.

"She's descended from Salazar Slytherin; and she's an animagus" said Krait "As am I. She is not a Basilisk but there is that in the very blood that resonates with the king of snakes. You need not fear her."

"I dinnae fear a wee lassie."

"Adults of your kin did….but then people always fear what they do not understand. Hold still, how can I detangle your elf-locks if you will wriggle so?"

Seagh had to admit – if only to himself – that a clean skin and scalp and clothes softer and finer than any he dreamed could exist outside of glamour was a lot more comfortable.

He also stared at the meal that was set and his own portion.

"A' for me?" he asked.

"A growing boy needs plenty."

"Aye weel, if ye eat sa' fine ivry day ah'm no surprised ye have the strength tae plae quidditch like ye're possesed" he said.

"Do you mean you'd not expect any more than this in any one day?" asked Krait sharply "Then it's no wonder you're so skinny! We eat as well as this three times a day my boy, as any decent folk do."

"Ye dinnae say!"

Seagh was amazed.

Soft beds; soft clothes, and changes of clothes at that, plenty of food, no clouts about the head from his new foster father – though he'd watch warily for that for a while – a female who had scared his real father speechless when she played quidditch yet who did menial tasks of bathing children; and who cuddled one as though one was a baby until one had to pull away before it made one cry for some reason; all this.

And they seemed to think this was normal.

Go back? Not him!

"Am Ah human the noo?" he asked Severus.

"You are what you are; which is half fey. You can choose when you grow up to live as a human or return to the Rath" said Severus "You are ten; you have seven years in which to decide, until you are an adult at seventeen years old."

"Havers! D'ye think Ah'd want tae live in rags on a sleepit we bit o' blankie and mah stomach nivver fu'? it's a human life fer me frae this day forth, mah fayther!"

"Then you are welcome as my full son if you wish adoption" said Severus "But think on it hard; you will see that I expect more from my own children than from others."

"Och aye, and they rin tae ye fer caresses; Ah'd no' despise that kind o' hardness!"

"Then when the time is right we shall also do a ceremony to make you of my blood" said Severus.

It would take time to learn to love this hardboiled, hurt little scrap; but it would come. What was there in a name perhaps – for was not Hawke Erskine, now Hawke Malfoy, just as hard on the outside to hide all the hurt?

Seagh was no fool. Prepared at first to sneer at house elves for their state of slavery he was quickly aware that the relationship between the humans and the elves in this household was closer and with more mutual respect than between highfey and feyelves. That these elves too wore clothes and were therefore free – and yet still stayed and willingly did most of the menial chores – was a revelation. As was the gradually dawning idea that one of them slept with his new father, willingly and by choice, and her children called him daddy and were given no difference in status to his human children. The girl Jade was asked to help him settle in; and he was not happy, for what could girls know?

When, trailing behind her in a bit of a sulk, he saw her come upon some scarily large boys bullying a smaller one and without resort to wand or words send the big boys howling on their way with bats crawling clawing out of their noses he was mightily impressed.

"Ye're awfu guid" he said.

Jade shrugged.

"It was get good enough to fight Voldemort or die I guess" she said "Dad made us learn to be well hard so we could have some chance if he and mum died. They were some of the principle fighters you know; of the five that stood in most danger they were two. And at first, before they adopted Grace and Romulus and Erich I was the oldest. And in some ways I'm still the protector, 'cos Grace is gentle, though she will fight as hard as any if she has to and Erich is a quiet dreamy type who hates ugliness and violence – he saw his mum murdered like Lydia and me saw our real mum murdered only he was older and felt it more, 'cos Krait has been our mum since we were in the orphanage together. Romulus is dead hard of course, but he's a marauder so the safety of the school is his responsibility more than us. I'm a junior marauder but I'm not in school yet, so I can still keep an eye on the little ones you see."

He didn't see; not fully; but he was starting to see enough to realise that protecting the weak not picking on them was the way his new family did things.

It would take time to adapt.

And if his real father's way was so right, why did they live in squalor in a rath not stand tall as rulers of humans?

Seaghsron knew which side his bread was buttered; and he would live by the rules of his new kin if he might continue to live that way!

And he was learning too to really admire Romulus, though he saw little of his new brother, who seemed to be spoken of, like his friends, with a degree of awe by such of the school children he overheard!

Romulus was a little unsure what to make of having a half-fey new brother, but as Jade described him as a 'prickly package a bit like our Hawke writ smaller' he shrugged and smiled kindly on the lad when he saw him.

Rom, like the other Marauders bar Abrax, was feeling at a bit of a loose end.

Abraxus had been given permission to spend a weekend with Myrtle's parents then take her up to Diagon Alley to get her kitted out properly; and his fellow cohorts missed him sorely. They visited the Snapes for tea on Friday, ruffled the hair of the new Snapeling, as they dubbed Seagh, and taught him how to cast the jelly legs jinx.

They spent Saturday, which started windy and became rapidly filled with sleet and hail, wandering rather disconsolately around the castle; or at least Kinat, Hawke and Romulus did. Willow was spending the weekend doing what she called 'working on Sirius' defences' which the boys decided not to enquire too closely into. Willow was growing a little away from the boys as she matured; and though they regretted it they accepted it as part of the natural order of things. Besides, girls always had a distressing habit of scolding; and if there weren't any there, there were more things to be done that didn't require being told off over.

Their aimlessness brought unexpected results.

They were playing a mindless jumping game on a short flight of five steps running down towards the Slytherin common room when Kinat froze.

Then he jumped again, in a particular pattern, up and down.

"Thought so" he said.

"Thought what?" said Romulus

"Has got what to think with?" asked Hawke, rudely. Kinat stuck out a tongue.

"Goblin made secret door" he said "If we can find how to open it this whole flight ought to fold away and reveal a cavity; it moves, but barely, with jumping around on it. Only a goblin would be subtle enough to detect it."

The other two mostly ignored this piece of racial superiority.

"Is this goblin subtle enough to discover how it works are do we just have to take your word for it that there's a secret door somewhere?" demanded Romulus.

"Gimme a minute; It's not going to be something that some beef-witted blundering human can find in a hurry" said Kinat, airily.

"So more likely to be this finger-sized hole at the top than something to twist, jiggle or pull?" asked Hawke.

Kinat made it to the top of the steps in one leap in case Hawke activated anything while he was still on them.

Hawke inserted a finger.

There was a loud CLICK and the stairs swung silently out of the way. A flight of stairs led down into a chamber.

Naturally they climbed down, illuminating the tips of their wands, and looking for a mechanism to both close – and re-open –the stairs.

Not only was there a fine piece of goblin made machinery, but there was a small scrying plate that showed a view of the stairs.

"That'll be out of the gargoyle over the archway at the door into the corridor" said Hawke "And the angle is set too so you can see the door opening I think…what planning!"

"Goblins can generally be anticipated to produce precision in all their works or hast thou forgotten that boy?" said a thin pedantic voice.

They jumped.

A quick look around revealed stood against a wall a painting of a wiry looking wizard with black eyes dressed in the academic fashions of the time of Henry VIII.

He stared at them as they stared at him.

"Odd's life, a goblin in robes like unto his fellows? What strange development is this I pray thee, young goblin?"

Kinat blinked; then bowed formally.

"An it please you good master, I have the honour to be the first full blood goblin pupil at Hogwarts" he said.

The wizard grunted.

"Gryffindor I wager" he said.

"You'd win" said Kinat "But many of Gryffindor and Slytherin house have put aside their er, old despites to work in harmony for the good of the school and of wizarding kind. My companions here are of Slytherin House, though Hawke's twin is with me in Gryffindor."

"That one looks remarkably like a Malfoy."

Hawke made a beautiful leg.

"Hawke Malfoy at your service, twin of Abraxus, and both of us from a cadet branch" he said "My friend Romulus, of the line Prince."

"Hmmph" said the portrait. "It behoves me perchance to introduce myself an you be not familiar with mine identity?" they shook their heads and he sighed. "I feared as much…. My name is Cornelius Slytherin, last of my name; for I sired but one child, a daughter, whose name is now Gaunt, for her husband was a contumelious fellow who would not change his name to that of a better line."

"They died out too" said Hawke "But my cousin Krait is Slytherin's line; she's Rom's stepmother and busy breeding."

_**ssss **__aha you proud Gaunts, that ye fell too_!_**sssss**_ exulted the painting in Parseltongue.

_**Ssss **__It got a little murky; they were so inbred they went insane. The line only survived with muggle blood to revive it _**ssssss** said Hawke.

The painting started.

"You know the tongue?"

"We all do….us four, our family….we made a bloodpact to defeat Slytherin's false heir. It's a long story" shrugged Romulus.

"A goblin too?"

"I spilled my blood and took the danger alongside everyone else; race is less important than intent, good Master Cornelius" said Kinat.

"Hmm well, that's as may be….looking for your ancestor's passages I take it?" he waved at an archway to a long passage that led towards the lake.

"Looking for any passages that seem right to get into trouble in really" said Kinat "we like to prowl. May I ask wherefore you find yourself in this rather noisome spot instead of displayed proudly within the house of Slytherin?"

"It is not a tale that is edifying" said the wizard huffily.

"Prithee even so, enlighten our ignorance, for we have no knowledge of the time in which your visage was removed from its rightful place" said Kinat.

"He's very good at it isn't he?" muttered Hawke.

"Comes of mucking around with Draco and his silly voices as much as studying history" opined Romulus.

The Painting struggled with himself then said,

"Does the painting of Ebeneezer Malfoy still hang to the left of the common room fireplace, the one with the secret passage behind it?"

The boys exchanged looks.

"Old Neezer the Wheezer is still there, but we know nothing about the passage" said Romulus.

"Neezer the Wheezer? Oh I like that; I like that a lot!" said Cornelius "His mother was a Gaunt you know; stuck up piece SHE was, verily, I believe she thought my daughter was honoured to marry her brother…and when I found that I was hung opposite her son, and his truly offensive airs and graces in MY ancestor's common room, I fear I resorted to the childish habit of making faces at him. Alas! The house became a very centre for the Malfoy family, whose power rose with their manipulation of the religious wars and dilemmas of the muggles, and one day I was taken from my hook and banished by a spell to dwell in obscurity in some goblin dungeon until freed by one of my blood invited in by a goblin; by which the one who banished me meant never…. But you say you are of my kin? Even obscurely? And this splendid goblin boy has brought you down here… I shall be hung once more on a proper wall?"

"I'll say!" said Hawke "Uh, in sooth, I promise that this shall be… but not I think to stare in eternity at the Wheezer; I think Severus would like you in his office. He's head of the house, Professor Snape, and he's married to my cousin, the one who's of your blood."

"And so are we because of the bloodgroup" said Kinat _**ssss**_ _We be of one blood thee and I_ _**ssss**_ he added.

"Parselmouth goblins! Whatever next!" murmured Cornelius. He seemed willing to put aside any disapproval however to have the chance to be free.

"The odd parselmouth elf; and their blood means we can apparate a lot more easily" said Hawke, loath to go so far as to admit to apparating around Hogwarts. "Prithee tell us of the passage to behind the Wheezer."

"It starts in the narrow corridor that is the shortcut to the kitchen gardens, outside of Slytherin House itself" said Cornelius "In the big cupboard."

"Oh, I know" said Hawke "The far end is bricked up now because I think what used to be the kitchen garden is where they put in the drain improvements in the nineteenth century and built the new broom sheds over it. They didn't want students having an easy way to slide out to the broom sheds I guess; well I can imagine the uses WE'd put it to, so I can quite see why they wanted that inaccessible…..they used the cupboard for stationary up to last year, it's empty now since er, we sort of accidentally exploded all that red ink…."

"Indeed? Pray impart to me how such an incident should come about!" said Cornelius eagerly.

Hawke grinned.

"Three boys in our year liked to act the bully; we've weaned one off it" he added "And they used to try to ambush us, at least us Slythers…we've another member of our group, a girl, and they like hurting girls if they could. And they thought they'd got her alone collecting ink for class; only we'd gone along too, not that she's not a canny witch but three on one…anyway we had a splendid little wand fight and I think it was me that burst the cupboard open and there was red ink everywhere, and into what looks like a scene of gore and carnage walks Professor Slughorn" he started chuckling "Who asks 'oh my! Is that blood? What's going on here?' and Willow…." He laughed again "Willow said 'can't a girl have the monthlies rather messily without everyone else getting in on the act' and Slughorn fairly ran away…. Of course we were subsequently caught by Madam McGonagall who doesn't tease at all, let alone easily, so we had to clear it up. They keep the ink in the staff-room now and we have to go ask for it."

"Dear me! It seemeth that womankind is less modest than of yore" said Cornelius Slytherin primly.

"Yes" said Kinat. "Come, sir, let us take you to Professor Snape in whose office ye might repose in comfort."

Severus was fascinated to hear the story of Cornelius Slytherin – the marauders edited any mention of secret passages, and indeed only mentioned that they had found him somewhat concealed.

Scales was a marauder, but Professor Snape was their House Master; and there were times to make the distinction!

"I don't think we should explore the goblin passages without Abrax, but we could make him a present of the other one if we can find it" said Kinat. "We may need tools to take the shelves out."

"And that's going to give away our interest" said Romulus.

"We'll fill it with old robes and mothballs from some of the old trunks we've been looking for diaries in" said Hawke "The smell of mothballs'll keep most people out, camphor's most awfully pungent; and then they'll just assume it's being used and not see it as a challenge."

Taking out the shelves was easy; as they had just been laid in on noggins nailed to the cupboard wall. The mechanism to open it was in a knothole of wood, that depressed, and the cupboard back slid smoothly open.

The passage went predominantly downward, as well it might, leading off towards the underground Slytherin rooms; and duly ended with a wall, and a mechanism to open a door. There was a small mechanism higher up.

Hawke stood on tiptoe and cautiously worked it.

Two eyeholes slid back; and he was looking into the Slytherin common Room!

"Now THAT's useful if you like" he whispered "To spy or check if the coast is clear."

"I wonder what Ebenezer thinks about having his eyes usurped" said Kinat.

"Probably ensorcelled with an unbreakable vow not to talk about it" said Hawke "Reckon it was done by a Malfoy so he'd agree."

"Abrax'll love this!" said Rom "Let's go sort out stuff to dress up the cupboard!"

They spent the rest of the weekend fixing a bar for coathangers and hanging up various heavy robes, heavily dosed with camphor balls; and practicing finding the knothole by feel.

"And now let's hope no small person playing hide-and-seek thinks it's a jolly place to hide and finds the catch by accident" said Romulus.

"Well if you think you could hide in that cupboard for any length of time without sneezing, you're a better man than I" said Hawke "Even Mary-Anne Green wouldn't pick that as a place!"

"We hope" added Kinat, grinning.

Severus filled Cornelius in on a lot of the history that he had missed out on, having been removed from his previous hanging place shortly before Cosmo Malfoy was born; he knew Lucastina and accounted her a remarkably polite girl for a Malfoy. His own family history he sighed over, was occasionally shocked by, and was totally horrified to the depths to which Marvolo Gaunt and his family had sunk.

"One can almost see why young Merope might prefer a muggle" he sighed "In light of the examples shown her by her own kind….poor girl, wrong of her but still, poor girl!"

The tale of Tom Marvolo Riddle, Voldemort, shocked him to the core.

He could but bury his head in his hands and moan gently over what a monstrous being could dare to call himself Slytherin's heir.

Severus moved rapidly on to Krait, her origins, and how they had formed a bloodgroup, risking the taint of dark magic to touch old, almost forgotten magic. Cornelius drank this in eagerly; Severus had assessed him correctly as being enough like himself to enjoy learning for its own sake. He was eager to meet Krait, her half siblings and her children; and was profoundly shocked to learn that one of her half siblings was half elf.

"No man lies with an elf!" he exclaimed.

"Not even a willing elf?" asked Severus with an edge.

"But they cannot refuse….they are bound to obey, there is no such thing as a willing elf!"

"What about free elves?"

"Free elves? Surely such are but lazy good-for-nothings freed for punishment and who soon dwindle from their own uselessness!"

"Here you will meet elves freed by line death, or as a reward, or from masters tricked into freeing them by other wizards because they were poor masters…we do not consider free elves unusual."

"Well if that were the case I suppose it would be different; but the size difference! It is immoral!"

Severus laughed dryly.

"The elves in our blood group transfigure readily into larger sizes if need be; though you are right to be angry about the unfortunate elf used and discarded. Medical apparation was used to remove the child, and gestation completed in a magical womb. Both survived, but I fear no thanks to Riddle…."

Cornelius made much of Krait and particularly of Salazar.

"He has a little of the look of the line, you know" he said.

"He also looks much like the muggle who sired our father, and indeed our father himself" said Krait "And I have a theory, that I would ask you to confirm or deny; did the Peverells, the Gaunts and the Slytherin have at least branches in a village called Little Hangleton?"

"In Cambridgshire? Yes" said Cornelius "We owned the large houses in the vicinity of course, and the muggles never knew, though some suspected…in sooth, .Mordaunt Gaunt didst narrowly avoid being burned for heresy by zealously religious muggles from Norwich; and then only by confunding them. Muggles of mine own time had a fondness for burning people for heresy, as though indeed it mattered by which method they undertook their fruitless rituals!"

"Well then" said Krait, refusing to be drawn into a conversation about burning "I suspect that as the families died out, or moved away – one Peverell at least fetched up in Godric's Hollow – there was still wizarding blood in the muggle community because young men will be young men and if they were the lords of the manor, that was normal enough; and I believe there was wizarding blood in the Riddle family, direct from the Slytherin line, and Merope instinctively recognised that as well as being in love with Tom senior's pretty face."

Cornelius regarded Salazar.

"Well, I don't deny there might be something in that" he said "As you say, 'tis the way in spring that a young man's thoughts turn to lusty yearnings; and to trug a village maid who expecteth not marriage from her social superior, that was not unknown" he blushed and cleared his throat "Indeed 'tis not entirely impossible mine own seed all unbeknownst might lay unrevealed within the hidden heritance of the peasants of the region."

Krait decided it might be unkind to rub it in that the muggle Riddles were by way of being the gentry and the Gaunts were the sort of people peasants would spit upon as low.

It was nice to have a family portrait of a true Slytherin; and one whom she might even quite like in a way.

There was that in him that reminded her a little of Severus after all!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Abraxus enjoyed his weekend with the Carmichaels meanwhile; and was looking forward to taking Myrtle to Diagon Alley on the Monday. He had a note, signed by Professor Dumbledore, giving him permission to be absent from school escorting a late comer to buy essential school equipment, in case of any officious interference. He felt on top of the world!

They were looked upon with curiosity in Diagon Alley of course; but as they appeared to be following the usual route from cauldron shop at one end to wands at the other, nobody asked any questions in the shops, only a business-robed man stopping them to ask sharply what their business might be.

Abraxus suppressed the urge to say 'shopping'.

"Miss Carmichael needs kit sir; I'm escorting her" he said.

"And WHY does she need kit in the middle of the school year?"

"That, sir, I should say, is a matter for the school and not for a wizard in the magical transport system department" said Abraxus shortly, recognising the robes. Myrtle looked narrowly at the wizard.

"Henry Beltane, anyone who had been wedgied and tied up upside-down in the girls' loo in his fourth year for officious interference, and who was moreover bested by a twelve-year-old has no right to carry on acting like a prefect when he's still not and never was" she said.

The wizard paled.

"How do you know about that?" he demanded.

"I know more than you do, that's how" said Myrtle. "Shall I tell him how you tried to impress the girls by boasting that you expected to get a prefect's badge in the fifth and you never even got it in the sixth because Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore had your number and knew what a hopeless twerp you were?"

"Y-young lady, don't you dare talk to a ministry official like that!" tried Beltane.

"Ministry official? You're inspecting the floo network outlets or something like that, they'd never make you an OFFICIAL" said Myrtle.

He gobbled helplessly in frustration and rage.

"Anyway, as we've answered your legitimate query, and established our right to be here, we'll be on our way" said Abraxus, pulling Myrtle along.

"OOW…. I was enjoying baiting that prize prune" said Myrtle.

"And the idea was to keep a low profile and not make an issue of putting you back together" said Abraxus. "Hello, is that Mary Shipton? Hello Madam Shipton!"

"And a nice polite boy you are, my lad" said the hag "Know my granddaughters I'll be bound…how are they doing?"

"Annis is a real ace at quidditch, Beth enjoys it but I can see Annis on the team on day" said Abraxus "From what I hear they're both doing well in lessons too, how are you?"

"Oh very well, dearie, very well; I was just going to tell that magical travel chappie that there's half a splinched wizard in our apartment drains. Blocking them he is; and it's the responsibility of the ministry to deal with splinching."

"Poor fellow!" said Abraxus, feeling slightly queasy "Quite dead, I take it?"

"Splinched right down the middle? Hardly likely to b anything else unless both halves splinched somewhere with trained personnel like Hogwarts or St Mungo's" said Mary. "Well, well, I bid you good day , Mr – if I guess right – Malfoy."

"And good day to you Madam Shipton" said Abraxus. The hag hurried off to catch up with Mr Beltane.

"And that will REALLY make his day – not" said Myrtle smugly. "I say, if it's an issue what happens if you're split when you die, would you say half a ghost was better than no dead?"

Abraxus aimed a gentle but determined rebuke to her rump; and Myrtle squealed happily.

After they had finished shopping, Myrtle was still entranced with her new wand; like Harry's, it was holly with a phoenix feather core.

"Holly indicates resurrection and the phoenix feather reinforces that" said Abraxus. "Harry of course spent time being a little bit dead to kill the horcrux; I guess that's appropriate. Voldemort's was Yew, which is a darker symbol of eternal life. And yet it's appropriate for Draco, because he had a rebirth into being on the right side, and the eternity thing could equally symbolise the life of his family line."

"I don't really care that much" said Myrtle candidly "I just love to be able to feel a wand in my hand again and know that it'll bring me all the magic I need. I say, is that your mum's shop? I've never met her."

Wendy was taken aback that Abrax was in town but was delighted to hear the reason why. He had written to her of course, explaining that he had a new hand, and Wendy demanded to see it.

"Remarkable" she said "You can't even tell the difference!"

Abraxus opened his mouth to disclaim indignantly; then remembered that his mother was a muggle, albeit a sensitive one. Presumably muggles could NOT see the difference. The Carmichaels had said nothing; but then perhaps they assumed that Professor Dumbledore had transfigured the marble hand into one that was flesh and blood. Wendy added,

"I'm a bit busy right now, my dears – and I am so pleased, Myrtle, to get to meet you at last, but I'm sure you'll understand – there's a couple of house elves whose families have died out and I'm giving them advice about setting up in business, to hire themselves out as short-term servants, when there's extra work for new babies say, or to run a party, or to clean a house thoroughly. Plenty of people would pay for house elf magic for a short time. It's heartened them no end but I'm finding them work right now – yes, I'm taking a commission for acting as their agent, don't frown at me Abraxus – because until they're known they won't get work. Molly is having them for Hermione and Ron's wedding, bless her and Narcissa in the summer for Draco and Grace, but that's only two affairs."

"Bribe us with ice cream money, mum and we'll go away" said Abrax.

Wendy laughed.

"Horrid child! I didn't mean it like that….have a few sickles anyway and spend it frivolously."

Abraxus kissed her and took Myrtle off.

"I like your mum; she's sort of scatty" said Myrtle.

"In a good way" said Abraxus.

By the time they had finished shopping and eating ice cream – another treat for Myrtle that she savoured – it was going to be too late to conveniently join in with lessons so they wandered around window shopping. The showman with the snakes and what he claimed was a magical pipe that played parseltongue to them was mildly amusing; especially as it was no such thing.

It amused the two young parselmouths – for of course Myrtle now also had the same powers as any other Blooded – to call the snakes over to them to pet them.

Besides, Abraxus wanted to check that they were being treated properly, as he told the furious snake handler.

"But they seem in good condition and you have them well trained; even if your pipe is a joke" the boy said.

The Showman seemed about to say something uncomplimentary, but Abrax stared at him hard; and the man noticed the scar and blenched.

"Beg your pardon young hero, I'm sure" he muttered.

"No offence taken and I hope none given" said Abrax "I like snakes; not everyone is as scrupulous in their care of them as you. But I'd get a pipe with a more sibilant tone; it'll fool your IGNORANT audience better. Here, this is all I have left, I only really had funds for an ice cream or two" and he gave the man the few coins he had left.

The man brightened and smiled at him, murmured thanks, nodded, and hurried off to try his luck in a different part of the alley.

"Poor devil probably has to make his way as best he might, may not even have gone to Hogwarts" said Abrax "You gotta have compassion for those without any OWLs; it's not always their fault, there's enough poverty in society that Francis and Ralph are well off compared to many, that their parents managed to put three boys through Hogwarts."

"Where are the slums in the wizarding wold?" asked Myrtle.

"There's a grim apartment down Knockturn Alley – and I'm not taking you there on our own – and I guess some live amongst muggles, Sev's old house isn't that big on the outside, though it's homey enough; and maybe there's areas they don't talk about. I'll ask Uncle Lucius" said Abrax "He's trying to find out who owns the apartment block too. I think we ought to get into the Leaky Cauldron now and take the Floo back to school."

"All right; just one thing first."

"What's that?"

That was a very thorough kissing.

It was lemon sherbet flavoured and Abrax enjoyed every minute of it. It left his knees almost as shaky as if he'd had the jelly-legs hex on them; but he was very happy as he took his girlfriend back to school!

The Marauders were delighted to see them back, and Myrtle received hugs all round. Krait joined them to hug her first friend at Hogwarts too, glad to be able to do it in the flesh.

"It's a special thing that Abrax and you did" she said "And you'll get a lot of fallout over it, not just from the ghosts; we're not going to make an issue of who you are, Myrtle, to keep it to a minimum. Sephara is saving a seat by her for you at supper, because we assume you'll want to return to Hufflepuff; especially as the Fat Friar has actually been supportive."

Myrtle thought.

"I've got lots of friends in Gryffindor but the more we spread out the more we do the job we're supposed to do of bringing people together, don't we?"

"Spoken like a true Hufflepuff of the best; striving hard for duty above glory" said Krait. "I guess if the hat disagrees you'll be in with the Gryffs; but wherever you are, we're glad to have you and we'll protect you as much as we can."

Professor Dumbledore announced that Myrtle Carmichael was welcome back to school; and that he was certain her classmates in the fourth would help her catch up from her prolonged indisposition; and that though she had been through the Hatting ceremony once, it was only fair to see if her experiences had changed her.

"He's hoping that because she learned to stand up not only for herself but for others that she'll be with us in Gryff" whispered Kinat.

"Well I hope she'll be where she'll be happy" said Abrax "And I reckon that's in Hufflepuff."

The Hat concurred; and the Huffers cheered happily, hoping privately that having two latecomers in the persons of Sephara and this girl Myrtle would not too much spoil their class average.

There were some comments about her name of course.

"Say, how could your parents go through Hogwarts and then name you after a ghost like Moaning Myrtle?" demanded Bethan Price, the part leshy.

"My parents never went to Hogwarts. I'm muggleborn" said Myrtle firmly "And I like my name; I think flower names for girls are pretty."

"Is it a flower name?" asked Bethan.

"Yes, it's an aromatic shrub" said Myrtle "My dad owns a nursery – a PLANT nursery" she added as Bethan looked confused " – for raising young plants to sell you know; and he likes myrtle, so that's what I was called. If I'd had a sister she'd have been Lavender. And my middle name is Erica which is the Latin name for one of the groups of heathers."

"There's more than one kind of heather?"

Myrtle sighed.

"Don't you DO herbology?"

"Well yes, but we only study magical plants."

"And plenty of mundane plants are used in potions, aren't they? And where do you think this delicate honey comes from?"

"Honey comes from bees."

"And bees get it from pollen and the flavour comes from what flowers they visit; this is from the local ling which is another kind of plant generalised as heather" Myrtle was not about to let the rather ebullient and nosy part-fey ask her too many questions; and by squashing her with knowledge hoped to make her back off.

It worked.

Bethan stopped asking questions in case she got another botany lecture.

It was when Abrax sat beside Myrtle for their transfiguration class next day that it dawned on Gilroy Derwent, Emil Porteous' crony.

"Hey – who did Abraxus Malfoy take to the ball and who's he sitting with? THAT'S MOANING MYRTLE!" he cried.

"You want to take a bet on who's going to be the one moaning when I get my wand on you?" said Myrtle, angrily.

"But it can't be" said Porteous "She's dead, you prat, that one's alive. And she doesn't look like Moaning Myrtle."

Myrtle had judiciously changed her hairstyle, cutting it short and spiky like the front of Willow's, more as a disguise than because she favoured the style; it could not be more different, after all, to the demure 1940's bob with bow.

"But it IS!" insisted Derwent "Surely you can see, it's not a coincidence, the name, and Abraxus and all that fuss, especially from the ghosts, and has anyone SEEN Moaning Myrtle since?"

Porteous was unconvinced. Such things were impossible. He said so.

"That's just not possible."

"And what, Mr Porteous, is not possible – besides, perrrhaps the likelihood of you ever achieving any kind of decent grrade in my class?" said Madam McGonagall's voice behind him.

Porteous spluttered and swallowed.

"Derwent says the new girl is Moaning Myrtle brought back from the dead."

"Indeed? And are you and Mr Derwent so skilled in the understanding of the nature of the mystery of death that ye'd wish t' debate it in my class?" demanded McGonagall.

"It is her, isn't it, Madam McGonagall?" asked Derwent "It's illegal, that's what it is; she's not supposed to be here, the Minsitry will have to kill her to make it right!"

"Anyone who wants to kill my girlfriend for any spurious reason – for any reason – gets to go through me first" said Abraxus.

"And us" said the rest of the Marauders and Ellie and Sephara in one voice.

"You can't kill someone if they're alive even if they've been dead, it's deatheater-y" put in Fish.

"Weel what a lot of fuss and rubbish you children do talk" said McGonagall "Are ye sure it's fourteen ye all are and no' four? Killing people indeed, Mr Derwent, fer shame; and the rest of you taking seriously such silliness! Noo then, get out yer hedgehogs and we'll see if ye can make a decent set of pincushions this time…."

McGonagall may not have entirely approved, but Abraxus was glad to notice she held a solid front in managing to avoid the question entirely by treating Derwent's revelation with ridicule!

Derwent knew he was right; he was more observant than his leader. He seethed and determined to pay everyone out by writing to the Ministry to get Myrtle punished for leaving her toilet.

The rest of the class were of divided opinion.

It did seem rather a coincidence that Abraxus should take the ghostly Myrtle to the Ball then have a girlfriend called Myrtle turn up in the flesh; but on the other hand the enormity of the alternative, that this was someone who had been dead was surely beyond the bounds of possibility?

The Hufflepuffs were certain of one thing.

Myrtle Carmichael may have missed a lot of schooling, but she was GOOD! Myrtle had overheard enough living children not to lose such knowledge as she had gained, and indeed had learned more; and with the MSHG she had learned a very great deal by watching, even though she had not had a wand to practice with. And the blood group had also given her perhaps more talent than she had originally had; though that had been quite sufficient to get her into the school when muggleborn students were much less common.

Having produced a nice patchwork pincushion that neither squealed nor wriggled when McGonagall stuck pins in it, and answered questions about the properties of unicorn blood and the immorality of taking it in Care of Magical Beasts – though Hagrid could not take his eyes of her, in undisguised wonder - she had then flown well enough in quiddich practice. And best of all she had neatly and silently jinxed Mourne and Parnassus with the asses-ears jinx when they made comments about Hufflepuff's low chances at the quidditch house shield. The Huffers thought her likely to be an asset to the house if she kept up being so good and decided that they cared less if her indisposition had involved fifty or more years of death.

As Sephara had also improved, their chances of getting house recognition in academic achievement had risen. The two girls were popular enough as a result! And the smaller Hufflepuffs adored them, for Sephara had already gone out of her way to protect her younger housemates from bullies; and Myrtle promptly joined her.

The Gryffindors meanwhile were inclined to follow the lead of those of the Bloodgroup in its midst; those who had supported Harry Potter were their heroes and could do no wrong. Plenty of Gryffindors just ACHED to ask questions, but if the marauders were silent on the subject, and David Fraser just laughed and said that stupid questions were just waiting to get stupid answers, and even Head of House Ginny Weasley could not be drawn to comment, why then, they must endure the curiosity stoically. Most Gryffindors believed that Myrtle was the late ghost Moaning Myrtle; because the group who supported Harry could do anything even defeat death – had they not all bounced the killing curse after all – and were ready to be belligerent about Abraxus' right to do all he could to cure his indisposed girlfriend and declare that THEY thought it romantic.

The sheer power and forces involved might scare the more knowledgeable; but then on the whole the more knowledgeable had been a part of it and knew how to manipulate the sheer power and forces involved too. The capabilities of the bloodgroup had certainly shocked Madam McGonagall; but she was always a sucker for young love; and the idea that love could conquer all was enough to move her to a position that was if not supportive at least not negative.

The Slytherin of the fourth were either marauders and friends of marauders; or out and out enemies of marauders. Derwent cared only for the reason that he could make mischief and get the marauders into trouble; although he was also clever enough to find the concept of the magical energies involved frightening. Having once taken the stand that it was impossible, Porteous refused to shift. Mourne and Parnassus viewed any kind of cauldron work as the production of inexplicable miracles by those who understood them and were fairly uninterested. Mourne said,

"Well, Voldemort got brought back from the dead didn't he? I guess it gave Malfoy the idea. After all he couldn't snog her as a ghost, could he?" which acceptance of Abraxus' skill was based more on total ignorance of potioneering than on appreciation of his abilities.

It has to be said that the Ravenclaw fourth year held a debate on the subject – 'this house believes that the rebirth of a ghost into a human body is impossible' – which duly carried unanimously. They could not explain how to do things of that nature, and therefore it was utterly unreasonable that a mere Gryffindor should be able to do so. The alternative was to accept that there were magics out there of which they had no comprehension; and that, to most Ravenclaws was unacceptable.

The name was a co-incidence. Abraxus Malfoy had befriended the girl because he had taken Moaning Myrtle to the ball through being sorry for her and had taken a liking to a girl with the same name.

They did not quite stamp their feet and say "meh" but one had the impression of that.

It was a few days later as the fourth fairly boiled out of a potions lesson, laughing good-naturedly over Fish's efforts – his floating ointment had worked too well and in the wrong way and Professor Snape had been forced to retrieve his cauldron from where it gently floated near the ceiling by the embedded cauldron from the previous year – when Professor Dumbledore, who was standing by an acidulated looking wizard, called Myrtle over.

Naturally her friends came too.

"A plurality of people answering to the name Myrtle Carmichael I see" murmured Dumbledore gently "Myrtle, my dear, this gentleman wishes you to come into an empty classroom where he can cast the revellaspell on you and ask you some questions; it is why he wanted you to come over."

"Why sir, is he a pervert?" demanded Myrtle.

"He almost has to be doesn't he?" said Sephara.

"Thank you Miss Yaxley, your input is not required….a valid question, Miss Carmichael: ARE you a pervert, inspector?"

The wizard already looked a little frazzled – whatever he wanted, it looked as though Dumbledore had already given him a hard time – and now he went purple.

"No of course not!" he yelped.

"He's scary" said Myrtle "I'm not being in a room alone with him."

"You will not be; I am in loco parentis and I shall be there" said Dumbledore.

"So shall I" said Abrax.

"And who do you think you are, young man?" demanded the visitor.

Abraxus drew himself up and looked down his nose with generations of Malfoys almost visibly ranging themselves at his back.

"I am Abraxus Malfoy, old boy" he said "And this is the girl I'm going to marry."

The name – and the scar – had the wizard quailing slightly; and he muttered something but raised no further objection.

"I'm still not going anywhere with him whoever's with me until I know he's not a pervert" said Myrtle stubbornly.

"Well now, I can't have my students upset; so I fear that unless you submit to legilimensy you will leave disappointed" said Dumbledore. "I assure you I am very competent; there will be no pain, and of course I shall respect your confidentiality over any other matters I should accidentally see."

The man ground his teeth.

"Oh very well" he said "Though I consider you place a ridiculous value on the hysterical fears of an alleged teenage witch."

"Perhaps THAT is why I have the responsible job of caring for teenage witches and wizards not you" said Dumbledore, smiling gently "Because I take their welfare, physical, moral, mental and educational, seriously. _Legilimens!_"

Abraxus knew the wily old wizard had no need of either wand nor word for legilimensy; but presumably he did not want this ministry lap dog to know that. Dumbledore's eyebrows rose once or twice and he muttered,

"Dear me…..well, well, WELL!...you didn't…..bless my soul!"

Abraxus knew he did it for effect and worked on not laughing as the ministry wizard cringed and clenched his jaw tighter and tighter. At last Dumbledore said,

"The inspector has no apparent paedophilic urges, Miss Carmichael, are you satisfied?"

"I suppose so; if YOU say he's safe Professor" said Myrtle demurely.

"With all due respect sir, what's he an inspector of?" asked Abraxus.

"Mr Witherspoon is a Spectre Inspector" said Dumbledore.

"A SPECTRE Inspector? Well what does he want with Myrtle?" demanded Abraxus, holding her hand tight.

"Apparently Mr Witherspoon is under the impression that Miss Carmichael has possessed the body of a muggle" said Dumbledore.

"Sir, do you want me to call St Mungo's to get someone to collect him and take him back to the Janus Thickey ward?" said Abraxus in a carefully clumsy whisper. Witherspoon went several colours. It was quite entertaining.

"Oh he is acting on information received" said Dumbledore "He assures me that even if someone wrote to the ministry claiming that Hogwarts had been transfigured into a giant hedgehog – the next silliest suggestion I could come up with on the spur of the moment – that the ministry would be bound to investigate, Mr Malfoy take that grin off your face I forbid you and your friends to start writing false claims to the ministry to make fools of them, they are quite capable of doing that by themselves."

"My body's all mine but if he wants to inspect that he IS a pervert" said Myrtle.

"I want to cast a revellaspell" said Witherspoon "If you have taken over the body of another I shall know."

Abrax tapped the side of his head and shrugged, smiling at Myrtle.

"Well do get on with it if you please" said Myrtle "It's jam duff tonight and I have no intention of missing it."

The inspector duly cast the spell. He cast it again. He looked baffled.

"Myrtle Carmichael, are you or are you not known as Moaning Myrtle?" he demanded.

"If anyone tried I'd give them a biff on the hooter, if Abrax didn't do it first" said Myrtle indignantly "There's no need to be insulting, Inspector. It makes me almost entitled to start calling you whinging Witherspoon or something equally er…"

"Apposite is the word you want" said Abraxus, having been exposed to Severus' vocabulary. "Why are you insulting my girlfriend, inspector? Be sure I shall write to my Uncle Lucius in his capacity as school Governor to complain about unnecessary ministry interference and risible attempts to denigrate the school and its students. Maybe they missed a deatheater or two when they went through the ministry."

Witherspoon paled at the thought of Lucius Malfoy on the warpath.

"I have to do my job" he said sulkily "And when a ghost called Moaning Myrtle, whose name in life was Carmichael, disappears, and a girl of the same age called Myrtle Carmichael appears, then I need to investigate. When were you born, young lady?"

"In March" said Myrtle "Seventeenth."

"What year?"

"I was always taught that a gentleman does not ask a lady her age" said Myrtle.

"Myrtle, I ask nicely that you tell the gentleman your age" said Dumbledore.

"Coming up fifteen" said Myrtle. "As you asked nicely, sir."

"Satisfied, Witherspoon?" asked Dumbledore "You have performed the revellaspell which will have told you that she is a perfectly normal young witch of pure human blood."

"There is something strange about her nonetheless that my wand cannot fully reveal and I do not understand."

"Try it on me then sir; maybe your wand is faulty" said Abraxus boldly.

The Inspector scowled; but did so; then peered at his wand, worried.

"The oddness seems to be in you too…."

"Then, sir, I suspect that either you have a faulty wand or it is detecting the fact that we are two who survived the killing curse" said Abraxus; for with the blood of all the sacrificial group Myrtle had been brought back sporting the scar too.

The inspector paled.

"She was at the battle for Hogwarts?" he demanded.

"She was indeed" said Dumbledore "And just as disobedient as her fellows over getting involved…"

"I think, sir, we have had enough of this man and his nonsense, don't you?" said Abraxus "We did not kill Voldemort and his deatheaters to have pusillanimous little fools following up the spite of a classmate who doesn't like to be continually beaten in lessons by girls from Hufflepuff; this is intolerable and as ridiculous as the inutile and inadequate edicts and provisions of both Fudge and Scrimgeour. If this is what the Ministry wastes its budget on I shall be writing not only to Uncle Lucius but also to Severin Prince and Harry Potter. WE are going about our lawful occasions; good DAY to you Mr Witherspoon."

"Good day Mr Witherspoon; repent of your sins and be cleansed" said Myrtle.

Anraxus had to hustle her out so he could break down in laughter.

"Repent of your sins and be cleansed?" he asked.

"Haven't you ever been troubled by some of the weirder evangelical types that call on the doorstep? They say things like that, it makes my dad frothingly incandescent with fury" said Myrtle "I hoped it would do the same to him. He was a horrid little boy too" she added meditatively.

"Good job you didn't say so….though there is nothing he can do" said Abraxus.

Indeed, they overheard what was said as Dumbledore escorted the Inspector out.

"I don't really care what you believe, Witherspoon; the girl is a living, breathing child. And as such beyond the jurisdiction of your office. And moreover, if you believe that a ritual has been performed to bring her back from the dead, I have yet to hear that there is ANY law against that action. As to your concerns to the safety of Miss Hornby, I should have thought she ought to be old enough to handle the ruderies of any teenage witch, especially as young Myrtle is bound, as all our youngsters are bound, to be forbidden to practise magic outside of school before the age of seventeen."

"Olive Hornby had been cursed frequently over the last few years; which is why we came to check if the boundaries still held Moaning Myrtle when it first started!"

"Oh I can answer that mystery for you" Dumbledore laughed "And shame on Olive Hornby for not looking for the obvious! Why it was no more than a young witch who was sorry for a juvenile and bullied ghost who purchased some jokes and tricks and hid them in Olive's house….reprehensible, I grant you, but not illegal; no magic was used and no theft occurred. Children will be children, you know!"

Witherspoon left in high dudgeon; and Dumbledore for one was certain that Olive Hornby was going to suffer for making a false complaint to take the edge of his anger.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"We could have had such fun writing anonymous letters to the ministry if Albus hadn't forbidden it" said Abraxus, mournfully.

"Yes… we could have written that Derwent is really a muggle, not even muggleborn, who had a down on wizards and has been infesting all our animals and kit with Chizpurfles" said Hawke.

"Muggles can't detect or handle chizpurfles" said Ellie.

"No, but I bet most ministry oiks don't know that" said Hawke "They still think that muggles copy magical effects with technology and that the worst weapons they have are poor copies of goblin flintlock pistols."

"We could write that Voldemort possessed a first year – now a second year – and that the children of deatheaters are getting morsmordre on their arms" said Willow.

"I could understand them checking that one" said Abraxus.

"What, without confirmation from the Order of the Phoenix people here? They'd have to be barmy to come roaring in without anything but the unsupported word of one child; and it'd be a real cheek after Harry was disbelieved even with adult backup from Albus and Sev!" Willow said indignantly.

"They are barmy. And inconsistent" said Hawke "And they only check on things they aren't scared of. You did quite right to write to uncle Lucius to put the fear of him into Witherspoon, brother mine. Any other ideas?"

"Yeah, I got a good one" said Kinat "That one of the class is really a wereknarl who believes in hedgehog rights and who plans to take over Hogwarts by force as a protest over turning hedgehogs into pincushions."

There was an awed silence

"That is so brilliant" said Romulus "Oh boy I wish we hadn't been forbidden."

"WE've been forbidden" said Willow "But what if we discuss our concerns and some little busybody overhears us? It's not our fault if they decide to act improperly and tell the ministry not go to Professor Dumbledore first."

"Isn't that breaking the spirit of the prohibition?" asked Myrtle.

"In spades; but he only forbade us to stop us from inundating the ministry with creative absurdities and getting into trouble" said Abrax "And I for one would like to see DERWENT get into trouble over this. We need to pick someone relatively harmless to be our supposed Knarl but who isn't going to be upset.

"Cynner Strong?" suggested Romulus.

"Emerald Lenoir?. Her dad's as rich as Croesus and she'll think it's a laugh" said Hawke.

"Lynx Black Weasley; she's a junior marauder and thinks EVERYTHING is a laugh" said Kinat.

"ARE there such things as wereknarls? Or even werehedgehogs?" asked Ellie.

"Who cares? There are now – at least in our fertile and wicked imaginations" said Hawke. "Somehow I doubt it; oh no, that hedgehog is going for my throat, oh dear, I knocked it to the ground from where it leaped at kneeheight."

"A WEREknarl would be human sized though perhaps?" said Willow.

"Gotta be…not so scary otherwise" said Kinat "How about we approach this like, this is terrible what's happened to young Lynx, we have to protect her and stop people finding out, and stop her too from doing anything too drastic…do we dare tell professor Snape and see if he can make a knarlbane potion like the wolfbane potion….if we first ask you to look up when the moon is full, Willow 'cos everyone KNOWS you're a walking almanac. We can take the rest of the term busily setting this up, between exploring for hidden passages."

"All right, I don't know about passages and it's not my business" laughed Ellie "Us girls are out of it…except maybe Willow."

"I'm busy tying Padfoot down" said Willow demurely.

"He's into bondage?" asked Hawke.

"Metaphorically, idiot!" said Willow.

They broke up laughing and went to ask Lynx if she'd like to be bait for a gotcha to a bully.

Naturally Lynx was more than up for it!

Willow was with Sirius when Lucius turned up.

"I found out who owns that dire apartment" he said without preamble. "You were ready to bite the owner, weren't you Willow?"

"Nobody ought to be allowed to force other people to live like that" said Willow. "Why, is it you, Lucius? I'm prepared to accept that you've so much property that a dishonest factor could assure you he was spending the money you budgeted for and was actually pocketing it. I actually trust you."

"Thank you Willow; I appreciate that" said Lucius "So you'll maybe be prepared to be as reasonable over who really does own it."

"Who?" said Willow.

"Sirius Black" said Lucius, looking at Sirius.

Sirius paled beneath his tan.

"I own an apartment block?" he asked.

"You own several old boy" said Lucius "That one and a few in the Obscura Alley-Umbrous Lane complex of streets in Hammersmith. As do I – the latter. And yes, Willow, my factor has been feathering his nest at my expense, but fairly judiciously, so I scared him well, and promised him that if he did so again he would look so odd turned inside out that he'd have trouble getting an apartment even at the northern end of Umbrous Place."

"Is that bad?" said Willow.

"It's the end predominantly occupied by goblins who work in the factories off Umbrous Alley" said Lucius "I own a few of those too….as to Obscura Alley it's where the likes of Kordach the crime lord live. He's at the more salubrious end, of course."

"I shall have to find out who my factor is" said Sirius grimly "AFTER I have personally inspected this dire building of mine and any other properties I own. Thank you Lucius; I am shamed."

Lucius shrugged.

"We've been a little preoccupied, old boy" he said "And for thirteen years, you more than most…."

"Yes; but I guess I should have checked what I owned" sighed Sirius. "Perhaps I can slip over at the weekend….what is it Hermione always used to say to express deep emotion? Merlin's Pants!"

"I could think of a few other more cogent verbal ejaculata" said Lucius "But I suppose for a Gryffindor…."

The Marauders meantime had set off to explore the goblin passage. They had taken the precaution of tickling the painted pear, making it giggle and squirm, to access the kitchens and made big hungry eyes at the kitchen elves to get sandwiches and fruit to take with them; and because they were prime favourites with the elves were also given big slabs of cake.

"Enough here to keep us going for half a week" Kinat gloated.

"I'll remind you of that when you've eaten it all on the march after about half an hour and start complaining that you're hungry" laughed Romulus "You're the smallest of all of us, and yet somehow the greediest!"

"Well, I got more growing to do, haven't I?" said Kinat.

The passage set off towards the lake.

"It's almost alongside the Slytherin common room" said Hawke, who was accounted the best geomancer of the group. "Nice piece of planning; and I use the word nice in its proper sense."

"We're under the lake, aren't we, just here" said Abraxus "It's quite damp feeling."

"But only skirting it; look we're sloping up a bit now" said Hawke "Guess they liked straight lines; me I'd have skirted it. It's getting drier now."

They went on.

"Lot of cobwebs" said Kinat, with some distaste. Kinat was not fond of spiders.

"Lot of BIG cobwebs" said Romulus, grimly "As in acromantula sized; reckon this must come out in the Forbidden forest"

"Can't, if it keeps going this way" said Abraxus "The Forbidden Forest is East of the castle and we're going determinedly Southish."

"Y'reckon they went straight to be on a ley line?" asked Romulus.

"I can't feel one…" said Hawke.

"It may be they were following an easily excavated stratum of rock" said Kinat "I know the mundane and easy reasons are boring but they're more often than not the right ones."

They laughed.

"Practical as always!" said Hawke "I'd not disagree!"

They went on.

"Look, there's a passage opens off to the left; and it's well cobwebby. I TOLD you it had an exit in the Forbidden Forest" said Romulus "And there's one of Aragog's grandchildren" as a spider about six inches across scurried from their lit wands.

"Technically they're only half or at best part acromantulas" said Hawke "Being descended from Aragog from ordinary spiders"

"Well whoop-de-doo" said Kinat "They're still big and hairy and have way too many legs and eyes. Why is there never a Basilisk around when you want one?"

"Y'know, sometimes the cure is worse than the symptom" said Romulus "I think I prefer spiders to a basilisk; at least spiders can be exploded by spells, basilisks are a teensy bit resistant to anything much short of Gryffindor's sword in case you hadn't noticed."

"It'd like us we're Parselmouths" said Kinat, firmly. "All right, we need some kind of strategy here; go on, or turn left. Me, I don't like the idea of having spiders behind us, I vote we go left and deal with them as we come to them and see if we can't find a way to block them out; failing that we may have to collapse the roof a little bit."

"I agree" said Abraxus "I think we should take any side passages as we come to them anyway, unless there's good reason not to, and I think we need to prioritise making the passage safe. And that means spider-free."

They continued up the passage, the little spiders fleeing from them; until two larger ones, some three feet across decided to make a stand. Romulus and Kinat were taking their turn at the front with ready wands while the Malfoy twins used their wands for illumination.

Kinat promptly turned a blasting spell on one, showering the passage with bits of foul-smelling exploded spider; and Romulus turned the other into a rabbit.

"I don't like killing things unnecessarily" he explained "And it's less messy than Kinat's method."

Hawke wiped some bits of spider off himself.

"Yeah" he said "Of course, it'll have a job to escape uneaten by the other spiders, but I guess that's not really our problem. We're going first now, Abraxus and me; we don't have any problems with spiders. And I think, y'know, although it's technically forbidden, we use the killing curse because it's a quick death and more merciful than fire or exploding."

"It's only forbidden on people I think" said Abraxus "But do the biggest ones count as people? Aragog was."

"We'll tell them to piss off before we cast anything and worry about that if any of them talk back" said Hawke. "Kinat, are you eating your sandwiches already?"

"Combat always makes me hungry" said Kinat, apologetically "I'm only having one."

"EVERYthing makes you hungry" said Abraxus. "Reckon your stomach is connected to the place _evanesko_ sends stuff to!"

Kinat grinned.

He was used to being teased about his appetite.

As it was, he was already taller and stronger than most goblin lads his own age; and he seriously wondered whether goblins were in the main short because of being in many cases deprived, and certainly not enjoying as good a diet as the children of Hogwarts, nor did they get the degree of exercise he did with quidditch and other games, not to mention running up and down the unexpectedly shifting staircases between lessons. He spent a lot of time outside too and had a good and ruddy complexion that also set him apart from the sallow, even greenish looks of many of his race. When several other Goblins had been through Hogwarts, if they showed the same benefits, that was time to make an issue of the differences engendered.

Spiders were here and now a priority however.

"There's a doorway ahead" said Hawke "Hold up the wands, can you?"

The illumination showed a doorway and a broken, sagging door hung from it; behind it seemed to open out.

"Well that's something we could do, repair or replace the door" said Kinat in some relief "Even if we can't stop them further on."

The doorway led into a room; it was full of old webs, the first thing they noticed. There was the sound of a drip of water, that came from a plain pump above a drain cover with a tarnished pewter goblet hung from the spout on a chain; a fireplace; and what may have once been a bed. Dried leaves had blown in and there was a litter of animal bones on the floor.

The bones crouched by the bed were not animal; they were those of a goblin. His clothing was tattered with time and looked to be almost four hundred years old. The sword still stuck in his ribs, that one skeletal hand clutched at convulsively was more likely to have been his cause of death than any spiders.

"The last big goblin war, 1612" whispered Kinat "It's a refuge; he made it here, but only to die."

"He died free in any case" said Hawke "Though that's rather adding insult to injury; there's not a spot of rust on the sword, it must be goblin made."

"Yes, our people made plenty of weapons for wizards that were then turned on them" said Kinat, sadly. "I claim the sword for the Marauders; it can live with our other treasures in the flue-room. And I want to take him outside and give him a proper burial."

The others nodded soberly.

"We'll have to frighten away spiders first" said Hawke. "Let's look around here; if there's a chimney perhaps we can climb it and take a look-see, if it's not blocked or barred."

The room also had a rudimentary toilet and a surprisingly solid cupboard. When they opened it they found one reason for that; it had a preserving spell on it and there was still food from when it had been cached so long ago.

"Their cooks weren't much good" said Abraxus, critically, looking at a leg of mutton barely cooked on one side and burned on the other.

"Well they didn't bring their women to war did they?" said Kinat.

"You'd have thought, beings as how an army marches on its stomach – even if Napoleon hadn't said it at that time – they'd have got over being so sexist and learned" said Abraxus.

"Oh for a goblin male, that's good cooking" said Kinat "Getting over being sexist was one of the hardest things I faced at Hogwarts; and my parents have a pretty equal partnership. Garjala didn't have any trouble of course; Golgo may be the loudest, rudest and most aggressive of the goblin rabble-rousers, but at home he's henpecked. Truth!" he grinned.

"Well I think we should leave it here for now and think about whether to use it for wolf-meat – or rather spider-meat – later, or whether to risk eating it or throw it away" said Romulus "It's the least important thing. There's another door out; shall we go look and then see about the chimney?"

The other door was in a similar state to the first; although it looked as though a rotten piece had initially been prized off, then other pieces. The signs of spider mandibles were apparent. Kinat shuddered.

"You know what I reckon?" he said "I reckon this was Aragog's first lair and he enlarged the door as he needed too until he became too big for it. The passage out is really low and narrow, it's goblin sized and built small to prevent humans following easily."

"We can squeeze" said Hawke.

The Malfoy twins were fairly tall, but very slight; Romulus was wiry. It was tight but not too difficult.

"I'd hate to come along here fighting, I'm stooping and I could imagine how difficult Severus say would find it" said Abraxus "And he's rail thin at that. Krait'd stroll it of course, but she's tiny."

"Yes it was a shock when I realised I was taller than her" said Romulus; "And you two have been for a while. Hello, steps up."

They came up a flight of steps into an archway that looked out of a small cliff face, extinguishing their wands since there was still light in the sky. There was a hollow which was full of spiders, many of them too big for the passage. Kinat swallowed hard.

"I'm not sure I want my kinsman buried there" he said. "Can we bring a box and take him back to bury somewhere else in the forest?"

"Reckon that's a good idea" said Hawke "Tell you what, we can tell Hagrid we found a goblin bolt hole, and our friend here, and ask him to help; it's kinda hard going into the forest without Hagrid finding out, and he'll be all right about it if he's told, but he might be hurt and cut up rucky if he ain't."

Kinat nodded.

It made sense.

Hagrid hardly really counted as a professor after all; he was more like a very overgrown schoolboy.

"I say we put a stout door on this place that can be opened only with a parseltongue password" said Kinat "And that'll keep the buggers out; unless they can get down the chimney."

"Let's go up and see" said Hawke.

Climbing the chimney was tough, but by no means beyond the capabilities of fit young boys.

It emerged above the spider hollow in an old oak tree, and there were no cobwebs in it.

"Make a good lookout place" said Hawke in approval "If we put iron rungs in the chimney, above the level of the opening, we can go up and down readily. Reckon we can use herbology spells to grow branches to conceal a little hut up here too. A grating we can open will make doubly sure it's spider-tight."

There was a lot to do; not least cleaning up. That could be done any time however.

"I think we'll eat our sandwiches in the room then get back to school" said Abraxus "It's getting late. By the time we get back it'll be bed time and I haven't done my potions homework yet."

"None of us have" said Romulus "We'll get short shrift from dad if we turn in short essays but he'll forbid us to maraud if we don't turn in any. We'd better write them in bed and risk getting caught."

"Kinat, has all your food gone?" asked Abraxus. Kinat looked sheepish.

"Most of it" he admitted.

"Sure you haven't got worms?" asked Hawke, rudely.

"Quite sure" said Kinat "I wondered that myself and performed the vermin-killing charm on myself. Just in case. No difference."

"Huh, you were just the same a year ago, Hawke" said Abraxus "Mum wondered if you were concealing a fugitive in your room at one point when you came down to make sandwiches in the middle of the night every night."

Hawke grinned.

"I'd forgotten that…here, Kinat mate, have one of mine; I've more than enough."

"Thanks" said Kinat. "You grew out of it? I'm glad to think I might, I think it worries my mum too. We're not poor but well, you know; we're about like the Weasleys I guess."

"And that's almost as rich as any honest goblin gets to be, isn't it?" said Romulus "Confined to skilled but not highly paid jobs through not having the qualifications. The lowliest curse-breaker at Gringott's seventeen years old and still spotty gets paid more than someone like Griphook who has a highly responsible job and who has been there for decades. But the spotty seventeen year old has OWLs and maybe even a NEWT or two."

"Isn't that my soapbox to climb on?" grinned Kinat.

"It's for all of us" said Hawke.

"It's a marauder thing" said Abraxus "Like Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail supported Moonie's 'furry little problem' and we stand up as they did for werewolf rights too. We stand for fairness."

It had been a busy evening; and they were glad to fall into their respective beds; even though their day was not finished until they had finished their potions' essay.

Kinat made the shortest work of his.

The essay was on combined antidotes.

Kinat's essay was one line long.

It read,

"Stick a bezoar down their throats."

It may be said that Professor Snape had to work on not laughing when he glanced down at this; and he gave Kinat an 'O' grade for combined brevity, wit, plagiarism and accuracy, then set him detention to repeat the essay properly.

Kinat took it with philosophic resignation.

By mutual consent the marauders decided to leave the rest of the tunnels until they had a whole weekend to devote to them; and confined their marauding to spying on others in the Slytherin common room. They felt almost sorry for Emil Porteous seeing the way his sister pushed him about; she was in a blazing temper over something. Emil was standing up to her well enough but she had the upper hand. Reading between the lines, Lana Porteous had done badly in some class tests and resented the fact that Emmeline and Abigail Greengrasse had surpassed her.

"And it's only because they're teachers' pets because they go to that stupid stinking muggle secret society" she said "And I expect YOU to get them; I can't I need an alibi. I don't care what you do, but get them; they make eyes at the professors who go along, and I wouldn't mind betting that that brat Salazar that Krait Malfoy carted about with her own illegitimate brat is Abigail's brat with Professor Snape, 'cos she disappeared for more than a year you know".

"I say, that's a pretty serious thing to say about Snape if you can't substantiate it" said Emil "And I don't want to get caught by him repeating it!"

"Well there was already the rumour about him getting some of his kids on NEWT students who wanted better grades, wasn't there?" said Lana, referring to an earlier spurious and malicious rumour put about to discommode Grace.

"Well Romulus isn't even his kid, he was Lestrange-Symond before, and he was disowned; and so was Grace. I dunno nothing about Erich" said Emil.

"And why were they disowned? Romulus is skinny and dark, not a bit like Mordred, his supposed brother. And what about Krait Malfoy herself? She appeared from nowhere as his ward. The younger two, Jade and Lydia are obviously her sisters, he had a Malfoy mistress somewhere, perhaps a halfbreed that wasn't acknowledged. If you ask me, Snapey's been putting it about good and proper. And he favours his ex lovers as well as his bastards like Krait Malfoy. So you FIX the Greengrasse girls!"

"Bitch" said Romulus with quiet venom.

"Right; we take it in turns to watch Emil Porteous; and catch him at it" said Hawke.

It was scarcely difficult; Porteous had very little imagination. He had enough originality to booby-trap a doorway to set a babbling curse on anyone who went through it – to set up his own alibi – but forgot that it would also affect him when Kinat threw a cream cake at him – it was stale, Kinat later explained so not a waste of good food – and then fled. Porteous ran after him – through the doorway.

He was busy babbling what was uppermost in his mind, which was his sister's instructions, when Madam McGonagall found him; and both Porteous and his sister had uncomfortable interviews with Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore explained exactly WHO had sired both Krait and Salazar and their half sister and pointed out that Abigail had disappeared for her own protection; and that really Abigail had been through enough through being possessed not to need the thoughtless cruelty of a silly and jealous little girl.

"And since Professor Snape's wife is happy to accept responsibility for children who find themselves bereft of proper care he has been good enough to adopt them; and that is really none of your business" said Professor Dumbledore "And if you continue to take away the good names of married witches such as the mothers of Romulus and Grace – Erich's mother is dead, he is an orphan – I imagine that they will take out lawsuits against you once you are seventeen."

It had never occurred to Lana Porteous that her spiteful comments, aimed primarily at the Greengrasse girls and in a secondary way at Krait and Severus, might lead to lawsuits from other adults. She swallowed hard.

She lay low for most of the rest of her brief time at school.

The Marauders had not forgotten their plot to discommode Derwent as well, and made sure the boy overheard concerned and whispered conversations, mentioning little Lynx and her 'rather prickly little problem' that raised his curiosity.

Once the boy was interested, it was easy to drop clues that were difficult to work out, but by no means impossible; like the whispered argument over whether to ask for Professor Snape's help, Romulus firmly maintaining that his dad would help, and Kinat saying stubbornly that he would feel bound to report it and wondering if Professor Dumbledore would feel bound to exclude her on such grounds as danger to other students.

Hawke left a book that he had shut hastily enough to trap a corner on the entry on knarls and was seen to put back a book in the library ALMOST all the way in that spoke about lycanthopy in general, discussing what forms were known and speculating on others. It was a sensationalist book that hinted that almost any animal form could be considered; and Hawke had actually found an interesting reference on the Indian Rakshasa, which had solved another little mystery for personal interest.

Derwent was hooked.

And when the next full moon was out, and the marauders acted uneasily and crept outside, only to throw a blanket over a prickly looking figure, cast binding spells and hustle it inside he was certain he knew what was going on.

It had taken some artistic ingenuity to make Lynx spiky; she herself had suggested transfiguration, but the boys were adamant that there should be no real magic to lend credence to the tale to anyone else, in case they were caught. In the end, she was simply wearing a wig that had been well spiked with muggle hair wax for punks. It looked effective enough in the uncertain moonlight anyway!

Derwent wrote an impassioned letter to the ministry about the dangerous wereknarl.

The marauders went off exploring for the weekend, having entirely forgotten the wereknarl in the superior excitements of goblin passages; and permitted the junior marauders to come along providing they pulled their weight in cleaning out spider webs and mending doors.

The junior marauders were happy to make that promise; it was exciting to be involved in anything that big!

The plan was to make the spider room safe first to prevent any more eight legged incursions while they explored other passages; and with nine children working with a will – Willow was bereft of Sirius for the weekend as he was visiting his apartment block – it was soon accomplished. Willow was a mixed blessing to the New Marauders; she could be bossy, but at the same time she was the only one fully capable of squashing the effervescent Lynx. Hawke watched; and learned.

He might need to do it himself some day; if not on Lynx, well he and Abraxus had twin sisters.

Once the main entrance was blocked with a door, and their new secret room cleaned out, and the bones of the goblin laid neatly in a box, they could explore the continuation of the main passage.

It was a disappointment to find it blocked by a stone wall that was obviously an intentional wall since it had on it a mosaic of a goblin in armour.

"Why have a passage to a picture?" demanded Willow "Has it got ritual significance?"

"None that I've ever heard of" said Kinat. "It's probably some kind of secret door"

Lynx tried walking through it; to no avail.

Thinking of the pear that led to the kitchen, Senagra tickled the goblin.

He was unmoving.

"That's a wizardly solution" said Kinat "Not a goblin one. We like static art; to a goblin, moving pictures are a little frivolous. I think it's a secret door; but if you ask me it's well and truly trapped. Let me think about this; I reckon we'll need to apply arithmancy to it."

"What numbers do goblins ascribe most luck to then?" asked Hawke.

"Prime numbers" said Kinat.

"What about Fibonacci numbers?" said Abraxus "Because of cogs and things?"

Once it was established that Fibonacci numbers were the same as Wenlock numbers, named for the famous arithmancer Bridget Wenlock who predated Fibonacci by several hundred years, everyone was much more enlightened.

"I've got her on a famous wizard card but all it says is that she proved the magical properties of the number seven" said Abraxus.

"And how many wizards do you know who get past the fact that seven is magical in arithmancy?" demanded Kinat.

"Most of the ones we know well….. all right, I take the point. Wenlock numbers are more powerful than just doing things in sevens though, haven't you ever noticed that the number of clockwise and counter-clockwise stirs Sev does in his most serious potions are often based on the Wenlock series?"

"You're right, they are" said Kinat. "I still think primes are our better bet here; but I need to be sure and get it right because a favourite Goblin trick is to use a deadfall if a door's not opened right."

"Tell you what" said Hawke "When you're certain, you open it and the rest of us will go up the passage a way."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin" grinned Kinat, "Here, my Gryffindor friend, let's you take risks for us."

"Damn right" said Hawke, lazily.

"It'd be something that needed to be done in a hurry" said Kinat "Quickly and easily to pass through without trouble, especially if there was pursuit. Look; the mosaics at the top of the picture on tiles one, two, three, five, seven, eleven are faintly different colours, not enough to notice unless you were looking for them but glaring when you are."

"Check thireen, seventeen and nineteen too" said Abrax "I'd hate you to finish off too early and finish us off too early if you take my meaning."

"Errrr….thirteen yes; the others are in his helmet, and I don't think there's enough difference to make it stand out" said Kinat. "It'd tickle the sense of humour of a goblin to finish on a thirteen anyway; a lot of wizards find it an arithmantically tricky number, we ascribe a lot of good fortune to it."

"I've heard it said you have to be born at the right time arithmantically speaking for thirteen to be lucky for you" said Willow "But my researches show it's how you use thirteen in your calculations. It's a ticklish number all right but only incompetent arithmancers need fear it."

"It shows how much they do that it's a number on which huge amounts of muggle superstition is based" said Abraxus "But I bow to your usually superior arithmantic powers, Willow."

"And well you should do so" said Willow in a Yoda voice. "C'mon Kinat, press that goblin's buttons."

"I'm going to ignore the innuendoes in that comment" said Kinat in what he fondly hoped was a repressive and faintly Snapish voice; and pressed in the chosen mosaics in rapid succession.

For a moment nothing seemed to happen; then the door hissed smoothly back into a cavity set for it.

"Arithmancy. It's important" said Kinat, walking through.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N sorry about the delay folks, the chizpurfles were on site again and wouldn't let me post... you'll get as many days as were missed all in one go when the moderaters de-chizpurfle the system._

**Chapter 12**

The passage continued ahead; and there was an opening to the left.

"We're beyond the Forbidden Forest's southern boundary now, aren't we?" asked Kinat hopefully.

"Way past; we're almost at Hogsmeade" said Hawke.

"Wait a minute – how does this passage compare to the secret passage to Hogsmeade?" asked Romulus.

"We're somewhat below it and I think to the east" said Hawke "We'll map this on the map and then we'll find out once we've got it projecting up and down."

"The map'll make it easier for future marauders I guess" said Romulus.

"But not half as much fun" put in Lynx "Finding passages is part of marauding!"

The opening to the left led down a short passage that opened into a large chamber, filled with beds close together and trunks at the end of each. By the door was a well with a drinking dipper as well as a bucket. Another door led to a small room off that proved to be a toilet with half a dozen stalls and banishing enchantments instead of plumbing.

"And easier in a rebel establishment than trying to lay pipes" said Abraxus "Elegant."

"They had a wizard in sympathy with them then" said Kinat "It's not a goblin solution."

"They almost had to have a wizard in co-operation to lay a passage all the way to the castle" said Hawke "Though considering where it came out, I'm afraid I'm more inclined to believe in a treacherous type of Slytherin than someone who actually gave a damn about goblin rights."

"When was it built?" asked Fabian.

"Good question" said Kinat "The corpse was from the 1612 uprising but I'd say the passages are earlier. Cornelius Slytherin's portrait seemed to have a vague idea they existed but if they'd been built after he died his portrait would have surely know more; and if it was during his life I bet he would have known too. So….maybe in the fourteenth century? I'd buy that for the style of the stonework and the style of the mosaic at that. These beds are much later, I'd say they were renewed for the 'twelve rebellion. Our dead man knew to go there. I wonder what happened, what went wrong? I imagine they planned to swarm over Hogwarts and take it over, hold the youngsters hostage perhaps until their demands were met."

"There was a big battle just south of here wasn't there, in which the goblin forces were taken by surprise and defeated fairly conclusively" said Willow "And I wonder if the dead guy was a survivor from that, who got away."

"He'd not make it this far from the Field of Blood" scoffed Kinat.

"No; but what if he was pursued? And wounded later? Or headed for the funk-hole because he expected to re-group at this barracks and got caught in the Forest and killed by a vigilant Hogwarts wizard; or even by some guy he thought was his friend – if they'd found support in the person of another ambitious wizard who saw it as a fast-track to the headmastership – who was afraid this goblin might betray him and decided to change sides after so comprehensive a goblin defeat."

"Like our slippery uncle Lucius who changed sides more often than most people change their socks until he realised where his priorities really lay" said Abraxus. "Or he might even have been a double agent in the first place which is how the goblins were taken by surprise before they got as far as manning the barracks. I'd say, dust of ages notwithstanding, those beds have never been slept in."

"We'll never really know – unless we're lucky enough to turn up a diary of the time in the box-rooms" said Hawke "And I guess that is too much to ask for."

"Shall we go on? It's a little late" said Kinat, his eyes sparkling "But we could go a little further."

"The little ones are exhausted" said Willow glancing at the white faces of Lynx, Fabian, Senagra and Jade "If they are ill for your over-enthusiasm they won't be let come again and I guess they'd hate to be punished for your eagerness…tomorrow is another day."

Kinat looked disappointed; but nodded, shooting a concerned look at his little sister.

"Tomorrow then" he said.

oOoOo

The next day's exploration was to be postponed.

After breakfast – which was attended by an extra adult with ginger hair – Professor Dumbledore rose and said,

"Miss Black-Weasley, would you come to my office please?"

Lynx dropped a little curtsey which courtesy Krait had started instilling in the MSHG towards the head; and started searching her conscience.

"I haven't DONE anything" she said to Senagra and Fabian "Nothing he could know about, anyway; and not that the rest of the marauders haven't been involved in"

"That's your cousin Percy from the ministry, isn't it?" said Senagra "Maybe it's about your er, spiky little problem."

Lynx giggled. Naturally she had shared the joke with the others!

"OOH, I do wish you could all be there!" she said.

"Quick, ask Hawke for his magic mirror" said Senagra "Kinat let slip once that the twins have a pair of mirrors they used to communicate between houses before they learned to telepathise."

Lynx did as she was bid; and Hawke grinned and slipped the mirror to her.

oOoOo

"Ah, Lynx, my child, you know your cousin Percy Weasley?" asked Dumbledore.

"Only by reputation, sir" said Lynx demurely "Hello cousin Percy, nice to meet you."

"Hello kid" said Percy "What's this nonsense about you being a werehedgehog or knarl or something?"

Lynx started giggling.

"Oh dear" said Percy "If she's anything like Ginny it'll be weeks before she stops."

"Miss Black Weasley pull yourself together NOW!" said Dumbledore firmly.

Lynx swallowed hard, hiccupped a couple of times and bit her lip.

"Hedgehogs" prompted Percy.

Lynx bit the inside of her cheeks to stop herself giggling again.

"May I ask what this means?" she said, batting her eyelashes.

"What it means" said Percy "Is that somebody has written to the Ministry complaining about a dangerous magical creature at their school; to whit, a wereknarl. He offers the theory that since the line of Black from which you are descended is shrouded in mystery, that you are also descended from Thaddeus Thurkell who was notorious for turning his seven squib sons into hedgehogs. He claims to have seen you under transformation at the full moon and that you have been kept under concealment by some young dark wizards. Whatever is the truth of this nonsense? My boss thought it was a serious problem until I pointed out that the likelihood of anyone with a name like Weasley anywhere in it being anything but a prankster was low. But he sent me to find out anyway."

Lynx started giggling. This time she needed a glass of water and to be patted firmly on the back until she could speak again.

"D-dark wizards? Oh dear!" she said "all we wanted to do was take a rise out of Derwent 'cos he's such a bully and was nasty to Myrtle. M-m-my t-transformation was a s-spiky wig….." she dissolved into giggles again.

"_Accio spiky wig_" said Dumbledore absently; and presently the masterpiece flew in the window "Hmm, a scary enough thing to see on someone in the daytime, I should think in moonlight it would be quite effective, wouldn't you, Percy?"

Percy was grinning.

"I thought there'd be at least one who kept up the twins' traditions" he said "Bully is he? Mean little creep as well by the way he writes, all sly innuendo."

"Oh he is" said Lynx "He tried to get Myrtle in trouble with the Ministry for having got better from being dead."

Percy blinked.

"We're talking about Moaning Myrtle here?" he said.

"Yes" said Lynx "And there's no law against using a ghost's own bones to build a body on to bring her back to life, so there!"

Percy blinked once more.

"That's rather exotic magic isn't it sir?" he asked Dumbledore.

"The people who killed Voldemort are rather exotic people" said Dumbldore dryly. "Why not ask your brother? Ron was one of the people there."

"RON pulled off a ritual that hard? RON? Well!" said Percy "I'll have to tell him, I'm that proud of him… good for them, Myrtle was such a scrap of misery but she was a good sport about comforting people when they were upset."

"Yes, young Witherspoon quite upset her" said Dumbledore.

"Oh that Ravenclaw loudmouth was it? I'm not surprised" said Percy "Is THAT why Lucius Malfoy gave him asses ears?"

"DID he now? Dear dear, how most unpleasant" said Dumbledore, not troubling to hide his delight. "Yes, Myrtle is the girlfriend of one of Lucius' nephews. He gave his hand for her."

"Quite a chap then" said Percy soberly "Not like most Slytherin."

"Oh Abraxus is Gryffindor" said Dumbledore proudly "Though his twin is Slytherin and each is as bold, brave and full of integrity as the other. The Malfoy twins rekindle the spirit of what used to be the friendship between Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor. They and their friends – who I think will turn out to be your so-called juvenile dark wizards – epitomise the spirit of Hogwarts; they are an asset to the school. And as Lynx undoubtedly has a scrying device in her pocket for them to listen on, I hope they're blushing and are also well aware that it will make no difference if I catch them at mischief."

Lynx was giggling helplessly again.

"Well, young Lynx, I guess I'd better just use Scarpin's revelaspell you so I can say that I have" said Percy "But I intend to take this wig back to show my boss his wereknarl. That's the best story I've heard in a long time you horrid child! Now don't you DARE let the family down by getting as creative as Fred and George now!"

Lynx giggled.

Percy waved his wand muttering,

"_Specialis revelio!_"

Naturally the spell revealed that Lynx was not any kind of lycanthrope; and Percy took the wig away still chuckling.

"A clever way to get around my prohibition and yet to show up a mean spirited boy" said Dumbledore "But I am still most annoyed at all of you for wasting Ministry time. I'm wondering if I should set you all lines."

"Sir" said Lynx "He didn't HAVE to write to the ministry. He could have gone to Professor Snape or to you. It wasn't our fault he really was that mean!"

Dumbledore considered.

"On reflection, I have to agree with you Lynx my child. He could have – and he should have – spoken to a member of staff about any concerns he had before going over our heads. Now run along and indulge in whatever weekend mischief you have planned."

He put his head out of the office as she was on her way down on the wafting breeze and added,

"And try not to get caught!"

"We shan't sir!" called Lynx cheerily.

oOoOo

The marauders and their junior branch were away as quickly as they could be, with plenty of provisions.

The passage on from the barracks led into a large octagonal chamber. From five of the other sides led doorways, the two sides on either side of the one on which they came in being blank.

"Right to left, or left to right?" asked Abraxus.

"Right to left" said Kinat.

The first passage sloped steeply upward; and emerged in a cave on a beach where a flotilla of badly rotted boats were drawn up. The rest of the cave was under water. They found enough of a ledge to peer out of the cave mouth and found themselves looking across the lake towards the castle.

"More of the anticipated invasion force" said Kinat "They were jolly well prepared."

"Had to have been treachery" said Abraxus "No commander who could prepare this carefully would have been beaten so easily without treachery in my opinion."

The others nodded.

Back in the octagonal room they found more signs of preparation. The next door opened onto a well prepared armoury containing barrels of gunpowder, flintlock pistols and arquebuses and crossbows, including repeating crossbow, in addition to armour and more mundane arms like swords. Most of the swords were well made and could be cleaned up; but without having that special sheen that marked them as being made with goblin magic.

The firearms and crossbows had been well greased and looked to be perfectly serviceable still.

The marauders were impressed.

"Of course there's a spell that protects from low velocity missiles now" said Willow "That would work adequately against the pistols. I'm not so sure about arquebuses; they could pierce toledo steel cuirasses. Maybe that's why the goblins were planning to use them. Personally I'd prefer a nice silent crossbow or longbow so the enemy gets hit and killed before he knows to cast a protective spell."

"Personally I'd rather have a Kalashnikov" said Hawke.

"There is that" admitted Willow.

The next door led to a passage that rose, came up steps, and came out in what appeared to be part of a huge barrel.

There was a door out of it; and the marauders found themselves in what appeared to be the cellar of an inn, with the rest of a genuine hogshead of ale joined to their exit.

Further cautious investigation led to the discovery that they were indeed in the cellar of the Hog's Head inn in Hogsmead.

"Dodgy sort of place, having two secret passages from it" said Jade.

"Well what does that make Hogwarts? There's zillions of passages there!" said Lynx.

Jade grinned.

"Well it's got zillions of dodgy sorts of characters like us there" she said.

"Anyway, the Hogs Head is mentioned in 'Sites of Historical Sorcery' as having been a headquarters of the 1612 goblin rebellion so I guess it's not surprising" said Willow. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the stonework of this passage more recent?"

"Yeah" said Kinat "And the armoury too. I guess they left the octagonal room as a node to add tunnels from. You studying to become Hermione Granger, quoting books, Willow?"

Willow grinned.

"Someone has to, now she's left" she said.

They stopped back in the octagonal room to eat their sandwiches and then pressed on.

The next passage also came out in Hogsmeade; in what appeared to be the disused cellar also of an inn. Undoing the trapdoor allowed it to lift only a certain amount before hitting a floor laid above it. Sounds coming through the floor of barrels being shifted suggested that this was the Three Broomsticks.

"We may have to do some guerrilla DIY here" said Abraxus.

"What?" asked Lynx.

"Surreptitious woodwork" Abraxus translated. "You never know when it might be handy to get someone out of a nice salubrious establishment like the Three Broomsticks in a hurry."

They retraced their steps and followed the final passage.

It opened with a little difficulty since there was some rubble on the trapdoor.

They had emerged in a ruined, half overgrown cottage further from the village than the shrieking shack, that had once perhaps had its own smallholding or belonged to some village notable; or indeed a pariah like a tanner, as Willow suggested.

"Once again we can do up this cellar to be a minor retreat" said Hawke "Clear some of the rubble and make safe the walls, build up the higher part to be a watch station and disguise it with climbing plants. It's a tremendously good place to overlook the railway line and keep an eye on the station if need be; if anyone ever took over the express."

"Gloomy, isn't he?" said Lynx.

"You weren't at Hogwarts when the Carrows were there" said Hawke grimly "And I expect you're too young to realise the terrible things the ministry was preparing to do, like putting muggleborn in Azkaban because they claimed their powers must be stolen if they had no immediate wizarding relatives."

"That's silly" said Lynx "Things can lurk for generations, can't they, like me having black hair not the usual Weasley ginger?"

"Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings –OW" said Hawke having earned a poke for that comment "What I mean is, you have more sense than any ministry geek."

"Because they don't understand genetics" said Jade "Because they assume that muggles can't think of anything on their own and so muggle science is only an attempt to copy magic."

"Isn't it?" asked Fabian.

"Talk sense!" said Jade scornfully "Why would they strive to copy something they don't even believe in? It's as different and parallel – if not more so – than the different traditions Professor Khan is teaching you about."

"How come you know about that, young Jade? You're not even at school yet!" said Fabian.

Jade sniffed smugly.

"Because he comes to tea with my dad and mum sometimes and they talk about things and debate. And when I understand what they're talking about it's really interesting" she said.

Fabian laughed.

"Putting in for your OWLs after the first year then are you?" he asked.

Jade grinned.

"I'll probably do some of them at least early" she said. "Waste not to really."

Willow was glad to find Sirius had returned when they got back and was wondering where she was, and also wondering, with an uncharacteristic lack of self confidence, whether she was staying out of his way because of the awful building he owned.

When Willow saw him at supper – the marauders having just arrived in time to make themselves presentable to eat with other human beings as Madam McGonagall put it to her two truants – her beaming smile of pleasure left Sirius in no doubt of her welcome.

Willow went to see him for the evening.

"It is rather dire, isn't it?" sighed Sirius after she had kissed him on the cheek.

"Yes; but you're going to do something about it" said Willow.

"Shall I tell you about the people there?" asked Sirius.

"Please. I might have suggestions as to how to surreptitiously help them" said Willow.

He grinned.

"You read my mind….there's an empty apartment where young Miss Strong and her mother lived; and the two apartments owned by the Haglings' mother and grandmother of course. Across from where the Strongs lived there's a thief, so far as I can gather, and I could find very little time for him I have to say because he reminded me of Mundungus Fletcher right down to the smell. A different smell but equally foul."

"Sure it wasn't the drains? Abraxus said that Mary Shipton was reporting half a splinched wizard to the ministry and you know how lackadaisical they can be about things that don't involve torturing schoolkids…"

"Have they been pestering poor Myrtle again?" demanded Sirius.

Willow laughed, and explained what the other marauders had been up to.

He grinned.

"Serve Derwent right, he's a poisonous little creep who makes trouble because he enjoys it. Even Percy Weasley at his worst was only a pompous prig with his priorities all wrong."

"Well he seems to have shaped up and got a life" said Willow "Though you know, he can be pretty relentless about pursuing irregularities, I think maybe you should make him an inspector of building safety. He'll do it meticulously and get up the noses of owners who DON'T care."

"You have a point" mused Sirius. "Anyway, the next one is an elderly wizard who's going senile; I took him to St Mungo's, it's the only place for him poor old boy. He's next to Hawke's great uncle that Wendy got sorted out into there. They have their own rooms and a few of their favourite toys and get fed regularly and fed wit-sharpening potion daily to try to preserve what few wits they have left. There was an elderly witch on the floor below him I took in too. She's not senile, but she's virtually bedridden, Jenny and Mary Shipton have been caring for her, but it's getting beyond them. I think I might put it to Narcissa, Charlotte and Wendy that a nice house for elderly witches and wizards might be branching out on their fund, but would help a lot of the helpless detritus of our society. There's the old Riddle house going begging; I know Krait was toying with turning it into another school, but with the old orphanage for squibs and mugglekin I think an old folks' community rest home might be more useful."

Willow nodded.

"Krait wasn't sure what to do for the best with that; she was half inclined to sell it and use the money. But to use it for an old folks' home would be perfect, it could even be officially that, a private home for, I don't know, members of a particular labour club say, for the sake of muggle records, so they don't get muggles applying. And if any escape and go wandering, being senile will cover strange clothing or claiming to know magic you know."

"Brilliant!" said Sirius in admiration. "And now onto the younger but merely – for one reason or other – indigent. I wasn't counting the thief as I think he's just lazy. The werewolf is another matter. Poor devil" he said with deep compassion in his voice "He chains himself up every month. He hadn't even heard there was a move afoot to provide free wolfbane potion on request. I got him some and I need to ask Remus to pop in and see him. He's lost several jobs because of non attendance once a month; with Wolfbane he should be able to pursue a fairly regular life. I might employ him to go nose around for me and stick his fine nose into other people's buildings," He sighed "So many stories, every one a little tragedy, a failure of our society….next apartment was rented by two whores. Are we going to get through this without argument?"

"Why should we argue? Whores exist. Some of them I guess must enjoy their job, by the laws of averages. Most I guess can't do anything else. I'd prefer you not to sleep with any, but I'm not your keeper; and I reckon you're too fastidious anyway. Talking to them and looking out for their interests I have no problem with."

"You're a remarkable girl, Willow, did you know that?"

"Maybe I'm just not stupid" said Willow. "I know that when we're married you'll be faithful to me. If you have affairs before then I'll understand and I'll grind my teeth on my own time; because I'll know that jealousy when we're not yet together is irrational. It won't make it any less real; like Kinat's dislike of spiders. Oh wait, when it's acromantulas involved, I guess that's NOT irrational…. More like little Emily Bates' fear of bats that Sephara helped her with."

"I don't actually want to have affairs…when I was young, plenty of women threw themselves at me because I was the oldest scion of the great and noble Black family – one of the things that made me cynical about it as much as my other relatives – and after a while it got boring. Anyway, back to my whores…." He twinkled at her and she gave a gurgle of laughter as he knew she would for his way of putting it. "Christie is next to being a squib, she left Hogwarts with three OWLs, in History of Magic, Herbology and Muggle Studies. She's about twenty-five. Her friend Margaret is actually a muggle; her brother went to Hogwarts, at the same time approximately as Christie, and he wants nothing to do with her, his only relative. He's in the ministry somewhere and I plan to irritate him somehow….Margaret went to an absolutely dire school when in foster care after their parents died in a car crash – like our David – and left with about as many muggle qualifications as Christie has OWLs."

"They call them 'O' levels, for Ordinary, like Ordinary Wizarding Levels" said Willow. "I think there's one called a Certificate in Secondary Education which has numbers for the fail levels so you feel less dire."

"Whatever. Anyway, she managed to find her way into Diagon Alley, having been there with their parents to buy her brother's kit. He, little shit, got his hands on any money there was, being a year or two older than her, and refused to see her. I gather he managed to forge a family tree that had him look like he wasn't muggle born when the Deatheaters were in the Ministry and claimed his sister was a squib and disowned her. He was in there prosecuting muggleborn too by all accounts; terribly ashamed of his antecedents."

"He sounds like he could bear watching" said Willow grimly "At least he's a follower not a leader; or he could have been Tom Riddle again with even more resentment."

"Quite" said Sirius "Anyway, I passed those two's names to the Madams Malfoy; they have a very efficient organisation that I can't hope to best. Heh, I expect they'll sick Lucius onto Margaret's brother; that should prove amusing!"

Willow grinned.

"Lucius gave Witherspoon asses ears" she said dreamily "Serve him right for wanting to hurt out Myrtle. But for someone who abandons family…. Lucius may not have approved of his father siring half breeds but even the old unreconstructed Lucius was hot on keeping an eye on his family once they existed. Anyone else?"

"Two more apartments; first off a goblin who got fired from Gringott's; for fraud."

"I thought they hanged, drew and quartered them for that" said Willow "It being a more serious crime than something mild like murder or being Voldemort."

Sirius grinned.

"Almost…anyway I persuaded him to tell me WHY he needed extra money… he wanted to pay for his sister to have an abortion so she could make a respectable marriage; she'd been raped. And goblins can be so sexist. Gulbrock's a good man; I hired him on the spot as my new factor. I hadn't fired the old one yet, as I told him, but as he was plainly either dishonest or incompetent I was going to. It was too bad to even THINK about threatening him into good behaviour like Lucius did. I made Gulbrock promise me one thing though; that if he was ever in trouble he would tell me and if needs be I would advance him a loan, or do what I could to extract him from trouble. I gave him an advance and left him listing all the things that need putting right and the costings. It will cost what it costs; but he was determined to get several quotes for things. It made him happy so I left him to it."

"Excellent; you won't do better than a goblin business manager, especially if he likes you."

"He seems to" said Sirius, embarrassed "He cried and tried to kiss my hands. Anyway, the last apartment is choc-a-bloc with a large family, five children all under ten. The father is a squib and the mother is a muggle, another sibling of a Hogwarts muggleborn, but her sister and parents were killed by deatheaters back when Harry was a baby….she was already dating the squib brother of her sister's schoolfriend, and his sister helps them out as much as she can. But it's still hard. I think the third child might make it to Hogwarts, but the others will be glad of the new school when it gets off the ground."

"Did you suggest they use two apartments now some are empty until it's sorted out with larger family apartments too?" asked Willow

"Yes, it made sense. And Gulbrock's to have the whole ground floor rent free to keep an eye on who goes in and out to make sure they're protected too" said Sirius. "I was thinking that if we have a school for squibs, it'll need a caretaker; I didn't say anything to John, the squib, but I did say I'd look out for suitable jobs that are better than casual labour sweeping out shops in Diagon Alley, which is what he does right now."

"I am sorry for them, but you know, people who can't afford to hardly live themselves have no right bringing too many children into poverty" said Willow "It's not as though there aren't contraceptive potions for those who can't use contraceptive spells. And I think you can pay for a long term contraceptive jinx can't you, and have it removed when you want to conceive?"

"That might be available but it's a stigma you know" said Sirius "I should imagine you could get one in a brothel; and yes, you can buy contraceptive potions, and abortifacient potions too, but they are looked upon as things for whores. And our society – in the main – is rather strait laced."

"Except amongst the wealthy who could afford all the children" sneered Willow "Double standards, one custom for the rich, another for the poor."

Sirius shrugged.

"I'm afraid so" he said.

"Tell me about your factor" said Willow.

Sirius gave a rather wolfish grin.

"I summoned him to the building" he said "And asked if he recognised me and knew who I was; and he was all kiss-my-arse at me. So I asked him if he knew this building; and he said, yes, it was mine. So I asked him who was in charge of taking rents and seeing to the upkeep; and he answered that he was. So then I asked him why he was cheating me and my tenants. Then he started blustering and telling me he was saving me money. So I asked where he had saved the money he had supposedly been hoarding for seventeen years, what account it was in in Gringott's. That was when he fell apart. I hexed him a few times, told him he was fired, and that my new factor would be presenting him with a bill for what he owed me, and that if it was not forthcoming I would see him before the Wizgamot. That was when he howled and cried real tears and kneeled at my feet and tried to kiss them; and I came over all noble-family-Blackish and kicked him as hard as I could. Oh boy, I enjoyed doing that!" he said with relish "And all the residents of the apartment were busy clapping. It felt almost like winning the quidditch shield at school all over again! I told him, if he ever showed his filthy nose around any of my buildings again, I'd ask the werewolf to bite him AFTER I'd finished casting the entrail expelling curse. He fled incontinently!"

Willow laughed.

"And so I should think! Sirius, you are a dear, and you care; and I'll always help you look after however many waifs and strays you end up installing in there rent free; because you're going to, aren't you?"

He looked sheepish.

"Well at a nominal rent anyway…for their pride" he said. "I told them they didn't have to pay rent for five years to make up for years of appalling conditions. Well that was only fair, wasn't it?"

Willow kissed his cheek.

"How very Gryffindor to sound guilty over doing something good that isn't also faintly violent" she said.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

What the Ministry thought about Derwent's malicious report on Lynx-the-wereknarl was made quite clear at breakfast next morning when the boy received a Howler. Derwent picked up the red envelope with shaking hands.

"Better open it, the explosion if you don't isn't worth it" said an older Slytherin "I know; I had enough from my father over my results in the first year."

Derwent opened it.

"YOU HORRIBLE LITTLE BOY!" came Percy Weasley's voice, magnified many times louder than a standard shout, echoing and reverberating around the hall "THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU HAVE WASTED MINISTRY TIME AND RESOURCES ON YOUR PETTY LITTLE SCHEMES TO DISCOMFORT YOUR SCHOOLFELLOWS! ANY REASONABLE CHILD WITH CONCERNS WOULD APPROACH A MEMBER OF STAFF BUT YOU KNEW NO MEMBER OF STAFF WOULD BELIEVE YOUR FOUL MALICIOUS CALUMNIES AND – AND – FILL IN SOME THINGS PROFESSOR SNAPE WOULD SAY! NEXT TIME YOU DECIDE TO BULLY ONE OF YOUR CLASSMATES BY MAKING UP LIES ABOUT THEM AND WRITING TO THE MINISTRY YOU WILL BE CHARGED IN FULL THE COST OF SENDING AN INSPECTOR AND HIS WAGES FOR THE DAY, SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! GOSH, THANKS MINISTER, I ALWAYS WANTED TO SEND A HOWLER" and with that the letter burst into flames and burned to a crisp.

Laughter rocked the hall and Derwent was dull red, in fury as much as embarrassment, knowing that although his intentions had been malicious, he was innocent of lying at least as he had seen it!

Severus rose.

"I believe, Mr Derwent, that Mr Weasley would like me to add that the extent of your maleficent and nefarious endeavour is exceeded only by the gross impertinence and contumely of your blatant and insolent contempt of the staff under whose care you live, who should be the first to know if you have any true concerns beyond your heinous and meddlesome ultracrepidarianism."

And he sat down again.

"Ultra – howmany?" said Lynx.

"One thing about Professor Snape is that he doesn't half improve one's dictionary work" said Hawke. "It'll be something about interference and busybodying from the sense, only more sesquipedalian."

"Don't you start" said Lynx.

"Criticising that over which one has no knowledge" said Romulus cheerfully "Dad had a thesaurus out last night looking for an appropriate word in case he had the opportunity to use it and that's what he found. He chortled gleefully" he added.

It was Krait who next had the opportunity to exercise her vocabulary.

Mourne and Parnassus discovered that little Emily Bates was scared of bats, and they thought it funny to cast the bat-bogey hex on her. Sephara caught them at it, and punched them both hard, gathering the sobbing little girl to her and marching her off to Madam Malfoy who was good at counter jinxes and cuddles in equal measure.

Madam Malfoy was also good at helping to build on Sephara's hard work of trying to overcome a phobia, by not only pointing out that hexed bats scarcely counted as the real thing even as acromantulas were very much more horrid than ordinary spiders; and then by explaining echo-location to the child, which Sephara had not known about, and showing that they could not get in her hair; and teaching Emily a spell she invented on the spur of the minute that would make Emily sound big and dangerous so bats would avoid her.

"You sound like a big fierce tiger wanting to eat them" said Krait. "Now run along to where you're supposed to be, I'll give you a note to explain I was counter-jinxing you. And Sephara, tell Miss Mourne and Miss Parnassus that I want to see them."

Madam Malfoy was also good at constructive character destruction.

After she had told the two Slytherin fourth years that she might have expected such petty and childish cruelty from a small child of four, not a big girl of fourteen, and that they had the instincts of boggarts without the magical ability to make them worthy of notice, being too unimaginative, stupid and lazy to even be considered for deatheaters she informed them that since they could not be trusted with wands she would take their wands into her own custody and see that the staff of their various classes knew to permit them with a school wand for the duration of the lesson and for that period only until she considered them trustworthy to have wands again.

"Furthermore" said Krait "As you obviously have too much time on your hands – some at least of which should have been devoted to the studies you so egregiously neglect – you will report to me in every spare moment for me to supervise your homework and when you have finished to find you useful tasks to do that will not overly stretch your meagre talents until it is your bedtime."

Mourne and Parnassus were horrified!

Krait was angry; they had gone too far this time and she made sure that they knew it. Playing on the phobias of a small child was in Krait's opinion the worst form of bullying that could take place.

On Dione Parnassus' suggestion the girls appealed to Professor Snape who listened stonily as they started off by trying to explain that having their wands taken and their leisure time too was not fair, and rapidly stumbled to a halt as he extracted from them the reasons for their punishment. He proceeded to tell them what HE thought.

"Well I must say I am tempted to ask Madam Malfoy to make sure that one of the useful tasks you undertake is the gutting of horned toads or skinning flobberworms. Your actions were loathsome; and to complain of a reasonable punishment to me is truly insolent. I will however give you the benefit of the doubt that you have as yet failed to recognise the enormity of what you have done and refrain from giving you further punishment; but if you do not seem to come to an understanding of your iniquities I shall place each of you in turn, wandless, in a room with a boggart so you may understand more nearly Miss Bates' feelings over her unusual but still very real aversion. Now get out!"

They got, sobbing.

The useful work Krait had the two girls doing consisted of helping her with sewing repairs for the school. As their sewing skills were negligible, Krait directed them in basting where outsize stitches did not really matter, that she might then finish off by hand. She explained to them what they were doing and why, how a sheet that was worn in the middle might have its useful life extended by being 'sides-to-middled', being cut in half and re-sewn with the good edges as the centre and the thin bit now at the edge, which needed hemming even as the edge needed a flat sewn french seam.

"Why not do it with magic?" asked Elisa Mourne.

"Because the spells aren't actually good enough" said Krait. "If I did it with magic, the stitches would be large and the seam would pull, and rub in the night. Done by hand it is virtually unnoticeable. I put in the long seam with the machine – which still sews better than spells – and hem by hand. Hand hemming is almost invisible – see?" she picked out a tiny baby dress she was sewing, exquisitely embroidered.

"Did you do that by hand too?" asked Mourne.

"Yes Elisa, I did; I find it relaxing. The beauty of magic is that it allows you to do most of the menial chores by wand, like washing up; and the basting too that you are doing for me for that matter, but allows one to be free to pursue those activities which require a little artistry like cooking or sewing. I have always enjoyed making clothes, and I am grateful to Aunt Narcissa for teaching me to embroider as well, since that was left out of my childhood curriculum. To create, whether a spell, a delightful and tasty dish, a painting, or a beautiful piece of embroidery is one of the things that sets aside thinking beings from either brute beasts or dark creatures; the former cannot comprehend creation, the latter are tied by their nature to be unable to perform it and so in their dissatisfaction can only destroy. Those people who can only break or spoil what others do are sad in the extreme because they are missing the greater part of their souls that make us people; and as they cannot make, they can only find a kind of perverse satisfaction in destruction. Did you want to learn to embroider?"

"Yes please, Madam Malfoy, when we've finished our punishment."

"I'll gladly set aside your performance of menial tasks to teach you a hobby that will help absorb you and give you a wider world view" said Krait. "Miss Parnassus, do you want to learn too?"

Parnassus hunched a shoulder.

"Why should I?" she said "It's all the same to me"

"Suit yourself" said Krait. "Ask if at any time you change your mind." And there, she thought to herself, is a very unhappy child; but I can't force her to open up.

Elisa was delighted; though she almost cried with frustration at first as she frequently pricked her fingers and got her thread in a knot. Krait patiently untangled her and told her that when she had herself been five and learning to sew she had been told that pain taught best how not to make mistakes.

"When you were so young? That's monstrous!" gasped Elisa.

"The place I was brought up was fairly monstrous" said Krait "It leached magic; I didn't get discovered as a witch and brought to Hogwarts until I was sixteen; and I had a lot of catching up to do. Like Sephara, who had a mental block and was written off by her own family as a squib poor child. She knows how to sew, she had to do it since she was treated as a servant. When your own family disrespect you it has to be hard; at least I could legitimately hate the people in charge in the orphanage who had charge over me and my little cousins Jade and Lydia."

"Professor Snape's children?"

"Yes, he adopted them. Once Uncle Lucius found out we were Malfoys too he has been very good; Lucius is a stickler for family. He insisted I take Sephara as a ward when he found out how his sister was treating her."

Parnassus had shifted and gone stubborn when Krait was talking about family; maybe there was something there. She might almost be a Malfoy with her pale delicate beauty, pale blonde hair and big violet eyes; no wonder poor Elisa with her stocky Bulstrode blood was fascinated by her. If Elisa would only learn to be herself and stand aside from Dione Parnassus, Krait thought there might be a chance to teach both of them how to be happy and fulfilled human beings.

Krait went on,

"I had tried to care for the little girls in the orphanage so they adapted readily to calling me mummy when I married Professor Snape."

"You're married to Professor Snape? Why don't you use your married name? It would stop people thinking your children were illegitimate!" said Elisa.

Krait laughed.

"Two Professors Snape in one school? How would anyone know which was which? When talking about us anyway; the gender difference is rather obvious when looking at us, but when describing the sarcastic marks over failed potions? There's nothing to pick between us! Besides, I rather enjoy keeping people guessing, though how anyone would suppose Professor Dumbledore would keep on his staff the sort of scarlet woman who has three illegitimate babies I don't know!"

"Three? IS Salazar yours then?" asked Elisa.

"Salazar is my half brother as the half-elf Rose is my half sister" said Krait "My father wasn't a very nice man. But why do you think I'm sewing baby clothes?"

"Oh, you're pregnant? Is your father dead then?"

"Yes I am; and yes he is. Harry Potter did me the favour of sticking Gryffindor's sword in him" said Krait calmly. "Do you really think I should name my little brother Salazar if he were not truly Slytherin's heir?"

"V-V-Voldemort?"

"None other; but I ask you please to call him by his proper name which was Tom Marvolo Riddle. So much less pretentious, wouldn't you say? Inadequates often try to make themselves seem big with titles, or by putting down those weaker than themselves, it's almost like a disease. Certainly his inadequacies seemed contagious amongst others with no creativity, large discontentments and probably small willys. Damn, I'm not supposed to be coarse to students… I apologise."

Elisa giggled.

"I don't mind. But surely he was most awfully dangerous?"

"In a way….he had learned dark magics that scared the ministry into even more pusillanimous incontinent incompetence than usual….and I use the term incontinent advisedly as mention of him seemed to send them running for the loo… he had followers who were terrified of him; none of them LOVED him, or even respected him. What a failure in a leader! One does not expect to be loved, but a leader who is not respected is by corollary despicable. He was so terrified of death he sought terrible ways to try to buy immortality; instead of accepting the inevitable and just getting over it and getting a life. He'd have been happier; and probably greater if he had concentrated on living life to the full instead of pursuing the unattainable and by doing so destroying bit by bit his own soul. If you take DADA to NEWT level you will learn something of what he did; but Professor Dumbledore considers, with some justification, that younger children should be protected from the horrors of what that was. Those of us who made ourselves Harry's bodyguard gave up our innocence and childhood so that others need not. It was a fair trade; we have the satisfaction of a job well done."

"Is that those who bear the scar?" blurted out Elisa

"In the main…it bounced to the babies as well, but they will not need to learn fear too early" said Krait.

"But…some of them are our age!"

"Yes; little horrors they turned up and insisted on making the oath" said Krait. "Protecting Harry was my job; and if some other overenthusiastic children died to keep him alive and kept other children alive in future by so doing, I was ready to accept that. It seems terrible in retrospect but nobody forced them and they had the risks explained. Harry had to be got in one piece in front of Voldemort at the correct Arithmantic moment. You don't think that broadcast of Draco's was by accident do you? We wanted him where we planned to have him and when. Draco's defiance was by way of a 'dilly dilly, dilly dilly come and be killed' business."

"I guess we never knew that so much was going on" said Elisa.

"And that was how we meant it to be" said Krait. "You have asked questions however; and you're old enough not to be given the runaround with the answers. Some things I will not tell you; either because they are inappropriate to your age or because they are none of your damn business. Well, it's your bedtime now; sleep well. I shall see you both tomorrow. Good night Miss Mourne, Good night Miss Parnassus."

Elisa bade Krait a cheery 'good night'; Dione grunted something unintelligible.

Even if she would not open up listening might help some.

There was a fairly public quarrel a few days later between Parnassus and Mourne in the Slytherin common room, Parnassus calling her former crony an arse-lick and telling her that if she valued their friendship she'd give up this embroidery nonsense and endure all they had to together.

"But it's fun" said Elisa "And now I'm starting to get the hang of it I can really see myself being able to make beautiful things."

"She's manipulating you!" screamed Parnassus "MAKING you want to be on her side against me!"

"Of all the paranoid hogwash, that beats all!" said Elisa "She offered to teach you too, remember, it was you who threw a sulk when you could have accepted the chance to learn something instead of doing boring old basting!"

"Well you shall choose then – Madam Malfoy and her precious sewing or me!" shrieked Parnassus.

"Frankly when you're this irrational I'd not want to choose you" said Elisa "Don't be an idiot, it's not a question of choosing, we can still be friends if I like sewing or not, it's the most ridiculous thing to throw a sulk about."

"Oh ridiculous am I? Idiot am I? It's a matter of principle; if you don't give up embroidery you're no friend of mine!"

"Now who's trying to be manipulative? Grow up Dione do!" said Elisa.

"You're no friend of mine!" snarled Parnassus and stalked off.

There was a distinct chill in the air when they reported for their punishment. Krait did not comment upon it but set them to their tasks. She showed them both a sheet that needed mending.

"You won't learn any younger how to deal with this, Elisa, even if you continue with embroidery so you may as well listen. Here is one with a hole in" she said "It is easiest to mend it with the mending charm; but not always desirable. The mending charm acts like a patch, and when a patch of new cloth is put on old fabric, the old fabric tears away round the edge. Muggle scientists could tell you why with their brand of arithmancy; but it is sufficient, unless you are really interested, to know that it occurs. By catching the edges together with thread, and by putting on a patch of old fabric, the mending charm can then be cast without deleterious effects to the fabric around its area of effect, since it moulds all the fabric together as one piece. If you are interested in the theory and arithmancy behind it you may refer to November last's edition of 'Transfigurations Today' where a small article of mine on the subject was accepted."

"I think I shall; but I don't expect to understand much of it" said Elisa.

"Well, make notes on what you don't understand and I shall endeavour to explain to you" said Krait. "You should consider joining the MSHG; we debate such issues there."

"Isn't it just about, well, muggles?" asked Elisa. Krait laughed.

"It was a good cover against the children of deatheaters" she said "They'd been conditioned so well to despise anything to do with muggles they avoided it like they could catch mudblood. We trained those prepared to fight Voldemort, even if they didn't want to go as far as a Bloodoath, and when he was gone, well it was so much fun we never bothered to disband it. It's a forum to air grievances unofficially, to ask advice of the professors who belong, a way of keeping fit to be able to sustain spells for longer, to discuss ideas for new spells or defences, to practice skills that need more work and to put the world to rights by bitching about the ministry."

"I'll think about it ma'am" said Elisa. "May I ask – I'm not whining" she added hastily "When you think we may be trusted with our wands back and - and to CHOOSE to come to you for instruction?"

"Why, I should say that when you have apologised to Emily Bates and meant it, then you would be showing yourselves to be mature young ladies not naughty children" said Krait.

"Thank you ma'am: I – I guess what we did was rather like being boggarts" said Elisa "I'll apologise to her first thing in the morning. But may I still come to embroider please?"

"Bless you child, you may go now and see her if you wish; and of course you may continue to sew with me" said Krait.

"Really? Thank you!" said Elisa "Dione, will you come and apologise too?"

Dione stared ahead of her as though she had not even heard; and Elisa went a dull red.

"Sometimes to be a true friend you have to enact tough love" said Krait, softly "As a parent or Professor has to punish for transgressions, both to make a fair environment for all, and to teach that some things are not acceptable. Cut along, kiddie; you may come back for half an hour's sewing if you wish and we'll start on chain stitch."

Little Emily Bates was scared when told Elisa Mourne wanted to see her; and emerged from the Hufflepuff common room holding Sephara's hand. Elisa took a deep breath.

"Emily, I was a beast to you" she said "And I'm sorry. And I guess if you want to fill my bed with spiders you'd have every right."

Emily's face lit up.

"You mean it?" she said "About being sorry I mean; I wouldn't put spiders in your bed, I like spiders and they shouldn't be in beds, they might get squashed."

Elisa managed a shaky laugh.

"I do mean it" she said. "And perhaps I can rescue you from bats if you'll rescue me from spiders."

"All right" said Emily and stood on tiptoes to kiss Elisa on the cheek "We're friends now then."

Sephara touched Elisa on the arm.

"That was well done" she said.

Elisa felt warm inside.

Three people approved of her and it felt so good; better than the approval of her former friend who had only wanted her for support.

Elisa thought that Madam Malfoy was wonderful!

She was also delighted to be given her wand back on her return.

"You can't know I apologised, Madam Malfoy" she said.

"I trust you not to lie to me" said Krait. "You have gained too much of a sense of self worth to demean yourself with lies."

Elisa flushed.

It was true.

The marauders were not exactly displeased to have two of the irritants of their year out of the way sewing; nor to have as hot a quarrel as flared up between the former friends develop between Porteous and Derwent.

Porteous was still sore at the right royal ticking off he had received from Dumbledore over ragging Abigail and Emmeline Greengrasse and felt – not entirely unjustly – that Derwent had drawn unnecessary notice onto both of them with his officious little letters to the ministry. As Porteous had never believed Derwent's assertion that Myrtle really was Myrtle he found Derwent's actions particularly irritating and told him so in no uncertain terms and nagged, as Hawke described it, like a Billingsgate fish wife. The Marauders found all the disharmony between their favourite enemies highly entertaining; and could not refrain from stirring with the odd well considered barbed comment that opened up new avenues of discontent on the part of the various combatants.

As Hawke said when Willow scolded,

"Hey, it's all good clean fun; and it's not like we engineered the squabbling in the first case….because you can't count the ragging of Derwent he didn't HAVE to act on it."

Willow gave up.

It was a storm in a cauldron that would degenerate eventually into what she described to Sirius as the normal turgid sludge of discontent that only too many Slytherin kept in their heads as well as in their cauldrons.

Willow had better things to do with her time, like help Sirius sort out what he owned, where it was and prepare to go with him to see it in the holidays.

The other marauders also had better things to do with their time, like getting their passages cleaned up, and making and selling beauty products to older girls to fund stocking the secret rooms with plenty of supplies.

Thus occupied they came so little to the notice of the authorities that Madam McGonagall sent them all to Madam Pomfrey for a thorough checking to make sure they were not sickening for anything. The four were a trifle hurt, that they should need checking on when they were NOT being bad, but Romulus pointed out that doubtless Madam McGonagall meant well because they WERE usually a little more ubiquitous. Abraxus walked out of the sick bay when Madam Pomfrey enquired after his 'poor hand' and asked if they were feeling unwell because Professor Snape was experimenting on them; and the others followed suit.

They decided to allay McGonagall's worries by switching the sugar and salt still within their containers at supper time, causing widespread revulsion but no real harm.

Both Dumbledore and McGonagall were so impressed by the smoothness of the switching charms used, that beyond insisting that the switches were reversed they did no more than scold the miscreants.

It has to be said that McGonagall was mightily relieved that there appeared to be nothing really wrong with the marauders for she had secret fears that the restoration of Myrtle had so drained them that they were unable to get into mischief. Fortunately she mentioned this fear to Severus; who laughed and asked if she had actually seen much of the Marauders in their spare time.

"No; and that's worrying too, that they're not at the middle of noise and trrrouble" she said.

"I think you'd find – if you ever started the sort of prying a wise house master or Mistress avoids – that they've found a new set of secret passages that they're working out how to exploit" said Severus. "I try not to overhear what my children are discussing with younger siblings but sometimes I have to work very hard to be deaf when Jade shouts 'are you taking me to the secret room today Rom?'"

McGonagall heaved a sigh of relief.

She trusted the Marauders to be naughty in a good way; and was glad they were still managing to.

The Marauders were objects of admiration to many of their fellows; and rarely irritated those who despised tricks since few of their exploits seriously disrupted anyone, the sugar-salt trick being one of the few. Four young Hufflepuff lads, Charlie Trout, Jamie White, Adam Black and Tony Duthridge were so fired with a spirit of emulation that they folded paper birds supposed to fly around singing during Care of Magical Beasts classes; they were to whistle 'Colonel Bogey'

It was a pity that, folding inaccurately, Jamie had said 'damn' and that one of the others was singing the wartime words.

There was some disruption of the class; but Hagrid pointed his pink umbrella at the skein of paper birds and banished them smoothly to the Forbidden Forest still swearing intermittently and protesting the singularity of Hitler's testicular appendages.

Abraxus had not been neglecting Myrtle – well not very much – during this time; Myrtle wanted to catch up and was taking extra coaching along with Sephara both to cover the odd blank spots in their education and to give them practise at wand work. It was not surprising that Myrtle had developed quickly a skill of manipulating water with spells and the Marauders swore her to secrecy as a honorary marauder to use her specialist spells to sort out the dripping pump in the goblin sanctuary and make sure the flow from the well to which it connected was free and clear.

Myrtle had them pumping hard while she concentrated on tracing back the flow, said 'AHA' and jumped back as she cleared a load of sludge by dint of forcing it through the pipes.

Abraxus, on the pump handle, was not so lucky.

"That'll do it" said Myrtle.

"I rather think that's done it" said Abraxus in dismay "I stink!"

Myrtle giggled.

"Well use a cleaning spell then" she said "I'm going to banish all this muck, someone else better keep pumping to make sure it's all pumped through."

"So long as you don't serve me as you served my twin" said Hawke taking over.

"Oh I think it's clear now" said Myrtle "It may be a poor colour for a while though until the debris is all gone."

On the whole they were glad of Myrtle's help; nobody understood plumbing like Myrtle.

And it had not taken her long to figure out how to place a reverse-flush jinx on a toilet just as Derwent was about to use it.

Myrtle could be a little vindictive like that at times.

And before they knew it, the holidays were upon them, and Myrtle was actually going home like any other little girl! Abraxus was to go with her to stay.

He was glad he did.

Arthur Carmichael was in bed when they got to Myrtle's home.

"They told me a year ago I had only months" he said "Learning that my girlie could be saved gave me the will to live on a little longer; but I can't fight on any more, my sweet Myrtle. Abraxus will look after you; and you, my boy, don't talk of potions. I am starting to get forgetful and I know what that means; even you wizards have never found a cure for senility. I'd rather die of a worn out body than live without knowing you. I asked that nice Professor Snape for a potion that will allow me to choose the time of my passing before the pain gets too great and I need to be drugged all the time; and he assures me it is indetectable to muggle science. I want to die with my family; my wife, my daughter and my – I hope – future son in law, with dignity and loved, knowing that one day we shall all be together again."

Myrtle burst into tears.

"And I only just found you again!" she said.

"But we have had the chance to be together because this young man DID do what he did" said her father "And that is a miracle to me. I'll wait; I don't expect that it seems long on the other side. And I shall see my parents that you never knew. I am more grateful, Abraxus my lad, than I know how to say for the time you have given us to be with our little girl."

"If you'd only SAID daddy I wouldn't have gone back to school right away" Myrtle was reproachful.

"My dear one! Do you think it would not hurt me to see you moping and watching me fade away? We shall have these last two weeks together and then I will go. Rejoice that we have had time together, do not sorrow for my leaving!"

Myrtle could not but cry for him of course; and Abraxus could do nothing but hold her tight and stroke her hair. He strongly suspected that the old man had some latent talents and had expended much energy in his ritually taken blood. But it would be wrong to take away Arthur's dignity by asking him to hold on until he had to be drugged into insensibility; even if his mind held too. Old age was inevitable, sooner for muggles perhaps than for the magically active, but still inevitable.

It was a time of sadness; and yet of joy to, in a shared family life none of the Carmichaels had ever anticipated without the vision of a young boy's steadfast and devoted love.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N _Many thanks to Taylur who told me how to get round the glitch!_

**Chapter 14**

Not all of the Marauders were at the station for the start of the summer term; Abraxus and Hawke were staying with Mrs Carmichael and Myrtle, as was Sephara as Myrtle's best friend, until after the funeral of Arthur Carmichael.

Arthur had demanded a last meal of FATTY pork chops, ice cream and a glass of brandy – all forbidden by his doctor - to wash down the potion Severus had given him. He and fallen quietly asleep contentedly puffing on the pipe his doctor had forbidden him long since and had never woken up. His last words had been,

"Stuff that stuffy little creep… I love you all, don't let the doctors or the ministry grind you down."

Somehow his expression was more smug than serene.

oOoOo

David supposed it should not have surprised him that Mary-Anne Green failed to turn up too.

He ran her to earth, by use of the mobile phone, waiting fruitlessly at CHARING Cross station. It was too late to get across London so he told her to stay put for Wendy to collect her; Abraxus, Hawke, Myrtle and Sephara were to escort some visiting prospective muggle parents to the school in a few days and she might as well go with them. Wendy would see she was all right.

It was all because of the new scheme to hide Hogwarts by obviousness; and also part of the plan to involve the muggle relatives more in their offspring's and siblings wizarding lives; some of the siblings visiting this time might be at the new school, to be re-named Rowan House, mostly for the convenience of the muggle postal service since it was currently known as Rowan Park Orphanage. There were rowan trees about too, which had helped swallow magic, since rowan was a magic-absorbing plant. For the non-magical children it would make no difference; and if any had some small skills, rowans growing outside would be unlikely to make much difference. It did make apparating difficult; but there was a tube station close by at Parsons Green. In an emergency the most skilled house elves could evacuate casualties to St Mungo's.

David had one more minor hiccup to his schedule of getting people loaded on the train.

Parnassus and Mourne arrived at the same time and things went downhill from the moment they set eyes on each other. By the time they had entered the station they were screeching at each other at the tops of their voices and attracting no little attention; and Parnassus actually reached for her wand – that Krait had felt she ought to return before the holidays whether the girl had apologised or no – although they had not passed onto the platform.

David strode forward.

"NOT before muggles!" he said in a tight, furious voice "Have you taken leave of your senses, Parnassus? That's an expelling offence! Not to mention both of you being a bad advertisement for the school, screaming like muggle chavs! Have you no self respect? What do you think you sound like? It isn't pretty! I've seen more decorum from quarrelsome whores in Knockturn Alley!"

They fell silent, flushing with emotion and embarrassment.

"Sorry Fraser" said Elisa Mourne. "She…"

"No tales" said David "I can guess who started it; you girls haven't exactly kept your squabbles private. Now go and get into different carriages; if I hear of either of you before we get to school I'll set you a prefect's detention."

They went on through the barrier, firmly not looking at each other; and David heaved a sigh of relief.

There was a new Professor this term; Neville Longbottom was to teach junior potions for a term or two since Krait was somewhat indisposed; this latest pregnancy was causing her some problems. Krait had been heard to say that if she was going to be ill with any, at least this child had the consideration to be on the way after Voldemort was dead so she didn't have to worry as much; and then added with a wry face that laying eggs would be so very much easier. Once the four missing blood group members were back in school, Severus planned on asking in Ron, Hermione, Harry and Draco if St Mungo's could not improve her, to see if the blood group could not improve matters.

Naturally, some of the older girls were giggling and making eyes at Neville; enough remembered him as an implacable fighter against evil in the sixth with Harry; and if he was not as eligible as Harry, he was famous by association. Neville was horrified and barricaded himself into a compartment with Severus, who teased him gently about not having always looked upon him as a refuge.

"I think even being reduced to terrified incoherent incompetence is better than being torn apart by predatory teenage girls" said Neville with feeling. "They get worse, I swear they get worse!"

Severus grinned.

"They never seem to try to vamp ME, sexy scar or not" he said. "I wonder why…."

Neville chuckled.

"Almost I wish I had a reputation for aloof and wordy misanthropy…. I hope I don't let you and Krait down; I'd not feel nervous teaching DADA but potions…."

"You'll be fine" said Severus "And I'm going to ask you a favour."

"Anything Severus."

"Sephara. Blooded in she's no squib any more; but she lacks self confidence still. She's my pupil, as a fourth year, but she isn't yours; keep an eye on her for me, will you? With Krait incapacitated, she'll be happier knowing Sephara has someone to go to…"

"Poor old Krait….can we help?"

"If St Mungo's can't…. I'm monitoring the potions they give her, and actually I'm not sure I can't do better though obstetrics is hardly my field."

"I'd have thought you can do better than anyone at any potioneering" said Neville.

"Well at least I don't have to produce a potion to control a wereknarl…" said Severus, and had Neville in stitches recounting the exploits of the marauders to pay back Derwent for causing Myrtle to be upset.

Elisa Mourne was horrified to find that Krait would not be in evidence and that she was ill.

"Whatever's wrong with her?" she demanded of David "Is her baby going to be all right?"

"Oh you know about that do you?" said David "Well, it's the baby that's the problem; they call it pre-eclampsia and it means the baby poisons you and St Mungo's is giving her potions to improve things, but if you ask me, Professor Snape ought to analyse what they're doing and make better ones."

"Oh I'm sure he could! His potions are ALWAYS the right colour" said Elisa with the awe of one whose potions were rarely the right colour.

David opened his mouth to make indignant comment about so prosaic an assessment of Professor Snape; and shut it again. It was a bit like trying to explain how great Johann Sebastian Bach was to someone who was tone deaf.

oOoOo

Hagrid buttonholed David when they got back.

"We got a gnome problem" he said "They're everywhere."

"We'll have to have a de-gnoming day" said David "The kids'll love it and you can get in a few good homilies about some of the lesser magical creatures while we're at it. I'll tell you what. I had been planning on building a gnome catapult to eject them; and we might even get them to use it by themselves. Alice and Ellie and I took some to Glasgow inadvertently and left them playing gleefully on a fairground ride; they loved it. They'll come back for more of course; but gnomes always do come back unless you set cats or a jarvey on them to eat them, and they don't do enough damage to warrant that. And at least if they're playing on a catapult they're not digging up the pumpkins."

"Ar, that's a good idea" said Hagrid, relieved.

The term settled down; with a few stray comments about those faces that were not present, the Malfoy twins being most conspicuous for their absence since – as the unkind said – it was so unwontedly quiet without them.

Derwent gloated somewhat over the absence of Myrtle; he expressed the opinion that the ministry had finally caught up with her.

Romulus and Kinat, missing their friends and feeling for Myrtle's sorrows, took Derwent behind the broom sheds and gave him a comprehensive and thorough muggle-style beating up. They felt much better for it.

Derwent felt sore; but decided to leave it be.

Running up against the marauders, even when down on numbers by a half, was a painful business.

oOoOo

Meanwhile the other Marauders and the girls picked up Mary-Anne Green, who promptly hugged and kissed Myrtle and said that she was sorry about her daddy because daddies were special.

"If rather scatty in her dad's case" Hawke muttered to Abraxus.

Myrtle was touched and hugged the child back.

They were to meet the muggle families at Kings' Cross, the train having returned for them. There were three families; and Abraxus was relieved that they had all turned up. Their expressions held a mix of emotions, especially the grown ups who had received a real shaking to a lifetime's belief structure in the demonstrable existence of magic.

"Lisa Field, Gerald Purbeck and Freya Tuthill and families?" asked Abraxus politely.

"You're our escort?" asked a woman "I was expecting someone…"

"Older?" said Abraxus "We happened to be going late because of sad family business so Professor Dumbledore asked us. He trusts us to undertake the commission adequately."

"I – er I was going to say, stranger looking" said the woman.

"Fashions do differ in the alternate world" said Hawke "But we feel more comfortable fitting in with the other young people in the neighbourhood in which we live. Clothes do not a man or woman make; it is their actions and intent, if I may say so without causing offence."

"Oh, no offence taken.. and when you put it that way I suppose not" she said "My husband and I are a little concerned that Freya will find it difficult to fit in if she is, er, different, and encouraged to dress…differently."

"Heh, half the girls at school are Goths, copying Madam Malfoy" said Abraxus "It's alternative but not out and out weird. Is that what you're concerned about?"

"Yes" said her husband.

"This is one reason we're hoping to have more contact between the muggle born and wizardblood families" said Abraxus "To enable greater understanding. We're hoping to have a sister school that teaches 'O' levels along side studies of the wizarding world, and even some of our qualifications – like Wizarding History – that non magical siblings could study if they wished and so have qualifications in our world too. Or not; as they chose. It's to open next year so your next daughter, if she's not magical, could go there if you wished. And I guess your older boy could transfer."

The older boy looked thoughtful; the younger girl, who had been scowling mutinously blinked in surprise and stared thoughtfully at him. The youngest child of all put her finger in her mouth.

"That would be nice maybe" said the woman cautiously. "All we want is for Freya - for all our children - to be happy; and have their particular talents catered to; and she's keen."

Freya nodded eagerly.

"Are there problems for those of us without a magical background?" she demanded "Like being born in the wrong family or wrong neighbourhood in ordinary school?"

"You'll get snobbery from some kids of course" said Abraxus "My twin and I have a muggle mother and a father who was not allowed to go to Hogwarts by his mother; our cousin Sephara here is a pureblood witch. Myrtle is Muggleborn like you three and Mary-Anne has one parent of each. Her dad's a muggle, he's a really nice guy and he's scattier than a research-wizard I assure you. That's why she's with us; she ends up more times than otherwise at the wrong station and even went to Devon with a boys' school once."

Mary-Anne grinned.

"I guess it would help if I wasn't a bit vague too" she said.

Another of the children, who must be Lisa Field, smiled a rather patronising smile.

"I expect the application of scientific principle to magic will improve its effects; and so we of scientific background will bring benefit to the school" she said.

"Whatever gave you the idea that we do not apply scientific method to our studies?" said Abraxus in surprise "I do hope you're not going by Shakespeare's rubbish about eye of newt and all that…. Cousin Krait once had to write an essay on that poem as detention as to why it was why it was so wrong on so many levels. Our potions master, Professor Snape hates imprecision. Of course it is different; in magical potions, the number and direction of stirs can determine the success or failure of a potion, but such is all subject to mathematical – or as we say, Arithmantical – principles. The Fibonacci series was first described in OUR society in the thirteenth century; and we call it the Wenlock numbers. It is of great importance in many applications."

The girl's father was staring.

"You mean this magic nonsense is quite reproducible? Demonstrably so? But Lisa has shown very odd and random effects so far."

"Naturally sir; she is an untrained witch who is finding her ability. She has no wand training – you may look upon a wand as a focus, as a properly focused series of lenses may cause light to lase, so to the wand focuses the power of the mind. It's a bit like a kid who is fantastically musically talented given a trombone to play with. With enough practice and mucking around they will eventually learn how to play, but they'll do it quicker and better with instruction, and stop sounding like a sheep being strangled a lot quicker."

"That's David Fraser and his bagpipes" laughed Hawke.

They fell about laughing.

" – long story" said Hawke "Maybe for the train. And you, lad, you're Gerald Purbeck?" he spoke to the third child who smiled solemnly.

"Yes; and I get to be allowed to go to somewhere called St Mungo's for the hole in my heart" he said.

"Excuse me, are you going to let witchdoctors loose on your child?" asked Lisa's father.

"Damn right we are" said Gerald's father "The medical profession has failed him, he can't take a pacemaker and they've given him three years to live. Professor Dumbledore seemed to think that for wizards it was an easy fix. We'll try anything!"

"It is an easy fix" said Abraxus "I expect Madam Ponfrey the school nurse could manage it, though I don't personally think much of her skills. It's a relatively simple transfiguration involving a ticklish but straightforward joining spell. Hardly worth even going to St Mungo's for; most of the staff at Hogwarts could manage it, but the wizarding world is very proper about protocol; and protocol will be observed unless he fell ill before the medical transfiguration was scheduled. You'll be going with our mum, Wendy Malfoy I expect; she's the London Area muggle representative in our parliament so things like that are her job."

"Who elected her?" demanded Freya Tuthill.

"The other muggle families of muggleborn and halfblood pupils past and present" said Hawke. "She's also on the committee of the Society for the Support of indigent and marginalised women. Aunt Narcissa and Aunt Charlotte started it together and asked Mum in. Aunt Charlotte's a muggle too, but she has some talents; she can make magical paintings, the ones that move. It may be that those who don't have the talent to go to Hogwarts have minor talents like that, which will also be trained in Rowan House."

"Named I suppose because Rowans traditionally keep witches out?" asked Lisa's father sarcastically.

"No, named that because it was already named Rowan Park and there are rowan trees there" said Myrtle "Rowans have an adverse effect on magic because they absorb it like – like…"

"Like Prussian Blue absorbs Thallium" said the older Tuthill boy.

"Kinda" said Hawke "More like a hoover I guess, or a black hole because it actively sucks it in, and like a singularity isn't as dangerous except at the wrong angle because science is a subject to old wives' tales as magic is, Mr Field."

"It's Doctor Field" he said "But I like your analogy; and I must say you all argue well without falling back on the old phrase 'it works because it does'."

"My apologies for miscalling you Doctor" said Hawke "Most of our fellows I fear might not be able to argue as cogently; but then, how many fourteen year old chemistry or physics students can explain to you clearly why their experiments behave as they do? I suspect that most of them would shrug and say 'because sir says so'."

"I fear you are only too right" said Doctor Field. "I look forward to seeing more of this school and observing the reproducibility of the magical effects."

"Don't rely on it from first years" said Abraxus dryly. "Would you like to come through the barrier? The train is waiting on the other side. We can debate further when we are aboard if you wish; we are here to answer any questions any of you may have as fully as we are able."

oOoOo

Abraxus later said that it was almost fortunate when they got to the castle and were showing the parents around that Colin Weasley had managed to surpass himself in the failure stakes.

They entered as Severus was saying.

"Mr Weasley, you appear to have discovered a new colour unsurpassed in the spectrum of loathsome vileness"

"I don't quite know what I did sir" said Colin.

"Do you not? Then permit me to enlighten you. You managed, through being more intent in your whispered conversation with Mr Crouch-Jones, to forget the seventh stir counter-clockwise; and even so you have managed to procure a concatenation of noxious foulness even more insalubrious than most manage who lose count; and I can only conclude that you also failed to properly chop your shrivelfig. I can think of nothing better to do than to banish this unwholesome mess!" he whipped out his wand "_evanesco!_"

The solution vanished.

"Hmm, easier way of clearing up than what students do to test tubes" said Doctor Field.

"Shrinking solution" said Abraxus "it can go muddy if you stir it wrong but I don't think I've ever seen anyone take it to a colour beyond well-rotted puke before."

"Ah, Mr Malfoy… an interesting description if not particularly edifying" said Severus "Class, we have visitors."

The class had been too busy covertly watching Colin's misadventures to notice the door opening; and duly rose to their feet for the visitors.

"I'm sure our visitors will not mind if you go ahead now with decanting" said Severus "As we have only a few minutes before the bell…DO remember to put your names on your decanters, I cannot grade you if your labels fall off. Mr Weasley, you may repeat the potion during Quidditch practise if you wish for a grade above 'T' I will not make it a detention but leave it to you. The OWL students are in there then and I dare say if you ask nicely Mr Fraser will give you some hints."

"Th-thank you sir" said Colin.

"'T' grade?" asked Freya.

"Troll" said Hawke "Direr than dire in other words. Young Weasley's been promised a new broom by his father if he can make a pass grade average in potions by the end of the year; that's an 'A' grade, acceptable. It's a great incentive; he's good at quidditch like all Weasleys are, so giving up a practice will hurt, but there you are! Professor Snape only has so many hours in the day."

"How do these potions work then?" demanded Doctor Field of Severus.

"The ingredients are of course important; and the arithmantic effects of the stirring; and of course the inherent magic in a student" said Severus "A non magical person could follow the directions precisely but produce nothing but a mess, or even something poisonous that was supposed to be harmless or even curative; and yet even a squib – a child born to a magical family who cannot perform magic – or what we call a sensitive – a person who has some talent but not enough to use a wand effectively – have been known to have enough inherent magic to effect the translation from ingredients into potion. You might say that the presence of magic is a catalyst."

This was familiar ground to the doctor who was much struck by the analogy.

"So there is precision in that the potion is reproducible so long as the magical catalyst is present?" he demanded.

Severus sighed.

"Oh yes" he said heavily "Save that precision, reproducibility and accuracy are alien concepts to a bunch of harebrained dunderheads such as most teenagers appear to be. Those that aren't planning some jape or other or worrying about their love life are often irremediably dim. Or just plain accident prone. Like Mr Weasley's friend. Last week he tripped and knocked - let's just say a volatile substance – into a cauldron full of bubotuber pus before it had been processed. The resultant explosion left everyone in the room with boils on their boils. I used up my entire stock of antidote, and he had exploded all my stock for the next batch which I had been going to brew as a demonstration. Sometimes I wonder why I only threaten to poison fourth years and never actually do it, preferably when they're still in the third."

"I see children are the same whether studying magic or mundane subjects" said Doctor Field.

"Sometimes I think children should be put in cages until they are Seventeen" said Severus.

"Do you have any of your own?"

"Three plus one on the way and seven adopted" said Severus, grinning sheepishly.

"Good grief!" said Field.

"Lot of orphans as a result of a Dark wizard and his followers" said Severus. "I also have several wards and we foster my wife's half brother and sister."

"You must need a large house!"

"And fortunately we have one; the only disadvantage is living next door to these pests" he said, tweaking the ears of the Malfoy twins, who grinned identical grins.

Doctor Field said later to his daughter that she should disregard Professor Snape's sarcasm in class as his bark was obviously much worse than his bite.

oOoOo

Once the four absentees had settled in, Abraxus was approached by a first year Gryffindor child, a boy named Jake Webbe, whose mother was a muggle barrister. He had not joined the MSHG and was generally self contained.

"I say, Malfoy, something's troubling me but I don't want to accuse anyone of anything without proof and I certainly don't want to go to anyone official like a prefect. And you marauders lark around but you fix things too, don't you and find things out?"

"We do pride ourselves on that ability, yes" said Abraxus. "What's your problem?"

"Well, one of our house is pretty buddy with a Slyther" said Jake "Annis Shipton and Gabriel Adler are pretty close; and you know, they're also not well off. Only suddenly they're giving sweets to Lynx Weasley and Fabian Ramage and other people and – and one does wonder where they got it."

"Ever thought about asking?" said Abrax laconically.

"I was afraid of making it sound like I was accusing them of something" said Jake "And it IS a bit nosy; only if it's something not quite nice….."

"I'll stick my officious nose in and see what's stirring in that cauldron" said Abrax. "And if it's improper I'll put a stop to it. And whatever it is, I shan't enlighten you; though I appreciate you coming to me."

Jake nodded.

"Oh I quite respect that you'd not break any confidence they gave you! So long as it's either all right or put an end to I'll be happy."

"I'm so glad" murmured Abraxus, not voicing out loud his thought 'pompous little swab'. At least the pompous little swab gave benefit of the doubt and didn't want to make any official accusation though, he reflected.

Abraxus did it the blunt way, grinning at Annis and Gabriel as they handed round chocolate frogs.

"Hello, new found wealth?" he said, helping himself when offered one.

They grinned conspiratorially.

"Shall we tell him?" said Annis.

"Oh yes, I think so" said Gabriel "He's a Marauder like Lynx and co. Guess what, Abrax, we're a published author!"

"The pair of you undertook a transformation into a singularity? did it hurt?" said Abraxus.

They giggled.

"We're both pretty good at Divination" said Gabriel "And even better at writing gibberish; and so we write together under the pen name of Agnes Eagle for 'Divination – Tomorrow'.

"That rag?"

"Of course it's a rag but it pays well" said Annis. "We mix in a load of genuine stuff with the sort of mushy hogwash people want to read and only make specific sort of predictions when we're dead sure, like it being a good time to make preserves if your name begins with 'M' which was the last one. It's too early for most people to make preserves, but the matchsticks fell quite decisively and they always seem to work, so we made the prediction. We got loads of letters from witches thanking us for our advice to be the ones to do the proposing if their names and their beloved made an arithmantic prime number together so long as they did it on the twenty ninth of the month. We got some letters thanking us for advising witches with less certain characteristics to perhaps be bolder and three rude ones from the ones that blew it. But we don't know if they interpreted bold as pushy, do we?"

"Well in my opinion all such advice should be taken with a large pinch of salt anyway, and those who don't deserve to get their fingers burned" said Abraxus. "Agnes Eagle… of course a variant on Annis, and Adler means eagle….there's no harm in it my children providing you stick to writing ONLY what you're certain of and generalised twaddle. You weren't here when it happened, but our previous Divination teacher was a silly old bat and she nearly caused a child's death. She said the kid's mother was ill and not likely to live long; she liked to make up doom and gloom and prophesy disaster because it made her feel big. Well this kid's mum really was delicate – as was the kid – and she went haring off to be with her mother before she died. It was no such thing of course, just Trelawney up to her first-year scaring tricks again, but the kid was lost, suffering from exposure and exhaustion and spent weeks in St Mungo's. And so I tell you that as a horrible warning to think before you write, just in case you send someone off on a wild goose chase by ill considered words."

"Gosh!" said Gabriel horrified "I'd hate to do that!"

"Me too" said Annis.

"Tell you what" said Abrax "When you've drafted your column, take it to Callum Delanay Prince. He's actually a seer, not just good at Divination, and if there's anything disturbing there he'll go into a trance and draw pictures of what could happen. THEN you get Madam Spikenard to figure out what's likely to go wrong because it might not be something you cause, but that your predictions trigger him. Either way it'll be good to check."

The first years nodded solemnly. Receiving advice from a lordly fourth year was to be respected!

Abraxus left them to it; and regaled his own group with the story.

"Well I say good luck to them" said Kinat "Excellent piece of private enterprise!"

"Handy to have them established as an author" said Hawke "In case we have problems with other would-be Tom Riddles; they can insert pieces that would mean something to those people we want to manipulate; or even use it as coded messages to friends."

"If that wouldn't be against their integrity as diviners" said Romulus.

"I'd think they'd do what was necessary" said Hawke "They're both in the MSHG after all and they're practical, sensible kids."

Abraxus did call Jake Webbe over to reassure him.

"There's nothing illegal going on; or even immoral" he said "They found that between them they had a saleable talent. You were right to check with me though; I've been able to advise them on how to keep it totally moral and legal, though I'd not answer for not being fattening" he added, thinking of the preserves.

Jake grinned. As a half blood he was familiar with the phrase about illegal, immoral and fattening.

"Thanks" he said.

Abraxus left him, shaking his head.

Being a marauder had obviously expanded in the extent of its responsibilities!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It was considered just as well that the visitors had left before the little contretemps in first year herbology.

Achille Crouch-Villeneuve, cousin of Lynx, was inclined to know it all. He was, as Lynx put it with all the scorn she could muster, a Ravenclaw's Ravenclaw. Not according to Achille were such things as buttons with legs or unwholesome concatenations for him. He did not realise that Krait considered him both lazy and slapdash; his belief in his own ability was considerable and whilst he was no potioneer he managed well enough mostly to avoid too much censure and shone well enough in other classes from raw talent to conveniently forget his odd failures. He believed accidents only happened to the stupid and said so frequently.

Which is why when Achille managed to squirt Romneya Coulter in the face with stinging sap, both Lynx and another friend of Romneya's, Kate Rosier, rounded on him.

Kate was the daughter of a deatheater and was trying to live it down; she had a strong streak of compassion that had flowered happily with her father out of the way in Azkaban after the Department of Mysteries affair; but she also had a violent temper.

Achille yowled when two little girls slapped him hard, one on each side and said

"It was an accident!"

"Oh yeah?" said Lynx "YOU always say accidents ought not to happen, only stupid people have accidents. You KNOW Romneya has a skin condition you creep!"

"I didn't! And it WAS an accident, I'm sorry!" howled Achille in real terror as Lynx was advancing on him, wand in hand starting to mutter the words of the bat bogey hex.

"CHILDREN!"

Madam Sprout was not always the most imposing of witches being short and plump and motherly, her slightly dilapidated hat usually awry on untidy grey curls and her fingernails generally in deepest mourning; but THAT tone of voice generally got the attention of all the students.

"They attacked me Madam Sprout!" wailed Achille.

"He squirted Romneya on purpose, Professor!" said Lynx indignantly.

"I never!"

"You liar!" said Kate.

Romneya was sobbing gently and Madam Sprout turned her attention to her, rapidly smoothing on some soothing cream. Then she turned her attentions back to the other three.

"Achille, apologise properly to Romneya"

"I said Sorry Madam Sprout!"

"Well say it again, I want to hear it."

"Romneya, I am sorry, I didn't do it on purpose, it took me by surprise. And I didn't know you had a skin condition until Lynx said. I guess I was wrong about people having accidents, all right?"

Madam Sprout nodded.

"Let us hope you will in future remember this and be less self satisfied and less sneering of the mistakes of others" she said; and it may be said with some satisfaction herself for Achille was wont to make derogatory asides about Hufflepuffs. "As for you two girls, this is a herbology class not a display for two wild animals. As you are so fond of such wild behaviour you may undertake a detention in the care of Hagrid digging up samples of herbs I require from within the Forbidden Forest. You may also apologise to Achille for doubting his integrity; just because he is arrogant and insufferable at times and less capable than he believes himself to be does not mean he is a liar."

Lynx had to admit that Madam Sprout was fair handed. She called Achille as he was whilst ticking off her and Kate.

"If you told the truth, I apologise" she said "You should be more careful in future not to leave yourself open to being doubted."

"I also" said Kate "Apologise for any misjustice; and I hope that it was unjust because the alternative is not nice Achille."

"All right, I was stupid. I admit it!" said Achille "I thought care and attention eliminated all risk, and I thought I had displayed enough care and attention here. I was wrong. Anyone can be wrong, n'est ce pas?"

"What even a Ravenclaw? There's hope yet that you might even turn out to be a human being" said Lynx.

Madam Sprout cleared her throat.

Lynx beamed at her.

It seemed to disconcert most Professors quite well when she was in trouble and prevent her from getting into too much more!

The minor mischiefs of the first year weevils paled into insignificance beside the trouble Dione Parnassus started creating once bereft of her friendship with Elisa; with Madam Malfoy out of the school she had triumphantly assumed that Elisa would come crawling back to her side; but Elisa remembered that Krait had told her that Sephara was good at sewing and begged her to help her cut out and make a baby dress to send to Krait, to show Krait that she was keeping up the sewing. Sephara thought it a wonderful idea, and promptly drew Elisa into her own circle of friends. Sephara equally promptly went on Miss Parnassus' hate list and the angry girl developed a new spell just to embarrass the other girl which enchanted the effluvia from anal eructation to glow in various unpleasant colours. That Dione's first attempt to hex Sephara with the fart-fluorescing jinx caught Kinat instead – who thought it was cool and proceeded to show off to his friends – was irritating. That the marauders took it as a personal quest to find out from whose wand the spell had originated – making it harder to target Sephara – was worse. Kinat might have found it funny, but his friends were certain that whoever had developed the spell had not intended it that way. They were inclined to suspect Derwent and Porteous as proven racists, assuming that Kinat had been the intended target; and leaped on them to cast _priori incantatem_ with the suspects' own wands for a ghost image of the previous spell. Leaped upon by marauders, the two were too scared to protest; and nobody was more surprised than they when the Marauders apologised to them.

On general principle they questioned Lionel Dell, in case he had slid into the fourth form prep room; and Dell asked what it was all about.

"A spell to fluoresce farts" said Hawke.

"Wow! Cool!" said Dell. "How does it go?"

"It isn't your spell then that you cast on Kinat?"

"Wish it was! I'd use it on the stuffier professors. And you guys as well I guess, just for kicks" added Dell.

"Not on Kinat because he's a goblin?"

"No, I guess I've been learning a lot about goblins" said Dell "They've had a raw deal… I got over that silliness. Shouldn't have listened to older fools without brains."

"Can't say fairer than that" said Hawke. "If you find out who did it we want to know….on general principles."

"Sure" said Dell.

Panassus meantime succeeded in jinxing Sephara when the boys were talking to Dell; and Myrtle, who still had a rather toilet-minded outlook pointed it out.

Ellie cast _Finite Incantatem_ absently to cancel any spell effects.

"Sephara?" said Hawke "Well maybe it's just some general troublemaker…"

"I was walking past Sephara just before I realised….reckon she was the target all along?" demanded Kinat "Wonder how long it lasts…"

"Quick, feed him beans so it isn't wasted" said Romulus.

"Too late" said Ellie "_Finite Incantatem_ is an area of effect spell, you were in it too, Kinat."

"Damn!" said Kinat cheerfully.

Foiled in her attempt to embarrass Sephara, Parnassus turned back to Elisa.

"Hey, teacher's pet, eat dirt!" she called "_Unscourgify os!_"

She screamed suddenly as from the end of her wand emerged a stinking demon-like creature with a wide and gaping mouth grinning evilly and made up of filth. She threw her wand from her and fell backwards, scrabbling away from it on the floor.

The wands of the marauders and friends were concentrated and seven spells of dismissal hit the creature at once.

The wand twitched once or twice and lay still.

Hawke picked it up and cast _priori incantatem_ a couple of times. The first showed the dirt demon, the second the fluorescing fart jinx.

"Hmm mystery solved" said he. "Parnassuss, for someone who can invent such a cool jinx as that, why the blazes did you do something as stupid as trying to reverse a cleaning spell and make it bony?"

"Bony? I wanted dirt in her mouth!" sobbed Parnassus, still frightened.

"Wrong part of the declension" said Hawke "Os the mouth goes os-oris, so you would have had to have used ore, IN the mouth; bone is os-ossis so it was close enough to give it skeletal form. Lecture on Latin over, but lecture on idiocy barely begun; you should know those fool girls who tried to reverse a cleaning charm in whasserface, Claire's bed summoned a dirt monster, why did you think it'd be different for you?"

"B- because they reversed _evanesco_ which is banishing so I figured the reverse of banishing was summoning so a reverse cleaning was all right!" said Parnassus, still too shocked to do anything but answer fully.

"All right, there's some dodgy logic in there I guess" said Hawke. "What's wrong with the good old fashioned slug-vomiting curse?"

"I forgot about it" said Parnassus sulkily.

"MUST you encourage her?" asked Myrtle

Hawke shrugged.

"If she's going to do it she might as well do it right. Besides, how can we keep our protective and curse breaking spells up to scratch without Voldemina here to practise on?"

"Voldemina? Is she that significant?"

"She's as significant as Tom Riddle, anyhow….anyway, that fart fluorescing jinx is worthy of notice. Credit where credit is due" said Hawke.

And Voldemina as a nickname stuck, at least for the rest of the term.

"I think" said Sephara "It's time Parnassus, you and I had a head to head; I don't know why you're jinxing me but it has to stop or I'll call you out."

"You? Call me out? You lousy squib, I'll show you a thing or two if you do! You and the way you're helping your filthy cousin to steal Elisa with that precious sewing kick of hers!"

"Oh that's what it's in aid of is it?" said Sephara "Well I do call you out, in the duelling club."

Notice of a grudge fight was filed with Professors Flitwick and Snape, the ones in overall charge of the duelling club. Neville had a quiet word with Sephara.

"Are you happy to go ahead with this?" he asked.

Sephara nodded.

"I need to put her in her place" she said. "I can do it now too; I have the blood that sings of what I know and what I feel. But thanks anyway" she smiled at him.

Neville smiled back warmly. Sephara was quiet and gentle; but she obviously had steel where it mattered. As he had discovered steel in himself.

Those who turned up early, hoping for good seats for what the irreverent referred to as a Bitch-witching had a bit of a shock in store.

The piste was in use by Professors Snape and Black who were in a full body-contact type of duel with it appeared no spells barred up to and including the frightening and green-flashing killing curse. What was perhaps more frightening was the relative silence of the bout, neither using spoken spells, the only sound being the sound of feet, hands and torsos meeting flesh, and the occasional grunt.

The early comers hung around the doorway, unwilling to go in, too scared to do anything but stare in fascinated horror.

"They must really HATE each other!" whispered a tiny Hufflepuff.

A few more flashes, Professor Snape somersaulting backwards out of the way of some unknown curse and the Marauders arrived, escorting Sephara, and peered over the heads of the weevils.

Abraxus put two fingers in his mouth and gave a piercing whistle; and the combatants broke off.

"Merlin's beard, is that the time?" said Sirius.

"'Fraid so sir" said Abraxus.

"Well well, doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself!" he said. "Same time same place next week Severus?"

"Better cut down on over indulgence in the meantime, you were blowing towards the end."

"Was I then! I thought it was you puffing like a grampus….."

The professors jumped down and went towards the showers, bickering gently.

"Do they really really hate each other?" demanded the small Hufflepuff of Abraxus.

"Good grief no….they're best of friends. How else could they trust each other with such deadly duels?" said Abraxus. "Don't try this at home kids; you've been privileged to watch the two best duellists in the world even though they don't enter competitions. What they do is too dangerous to be permitted in competition."

"Why do they do it?" the child persisted.

"To stay well honed in case they ever have to fight another Voldemort of course" said Abraxus "And for fun; they can let off all their pent up frustrations over having to teach some of the dunderheads that some of you are by letting it out on someone hard enough to cope with what they want to do with you. And so shall I if you don't stop asking silly questions."

"The first rule of fight club is we don't talk about fight club" murmured Hawke who had esoteric film preferences. Abraxus cuffed his twin across the back of the head with two fingers and Hawke grinned.

Sephara faced Dione Parnassus serenely; and watched for her to make the first move.

It was a stinging hex.

Sephara neatly countered it before Parnassus had finished pronouncing it. She countered with bluebell flames, and Parnassus had to put them out quickly before she could go on.

"Go on Voldemina, you can do better than that!" called Romulus.

"Uh? You're supporting HER?" queried Kinat.

"Well she hasn't a hope…. I felt kinda sorry for her" shrugged Romulus.

Sephara had learned well, countering every spell Parnassus threw, and if she loosed off less offensive spells than her opponent, they were well considered ones that often got through the other girl's defences. Parnassus started getting frustrated and lost her temper. All her best curses were failing!

It never once occurred to the girl, however, in all her frustrations to use any of the unforgivable curses; and she could hardly avoid knowing about them in light of recent history.

At last she body charged Sephara; who had also been learning self defence in the MSHG.

She side-stepped and made a push-down of the angry Parnassus.

"_Expelliarmus_" she said; and the other girl's wand flew from her grasp. "I think that's a win for me, Parnassus unless you want to try wandless magic."

"I can't do wandless magic" said Parnassus sulkily.

"A victory for Miss Yaxley" said Flitwick "After a foul move by Miss Parnassus; you KNOW body contact is forbidden. Nevertheless, Miss Yaxley, I hope honour is satisfied?"

"Perfectly thank you Professor" said Sephara. "Thank you for refereeing."

Little Flitwick smiled warmly at Sephara; she was such a nice polite child!

Francis Davenport was not exactly a close friend to the marauders now, but he was at least neutral and joined some meetings of the MSHG when he could manage to get up; and he looked upon the four as capable of sorting any problems.

Accordingly he approached Hawke looking miserable and angry.

"Hawke, can you help me?" he asked.

"I can try" said Hawke "What's up?"

"Well you see" said Francis "It started when I had this really vivid dream… it was about the quidditch quarter final, and I KNEW who was going to win one of the matches. It was still with me when I woke up, see?"

"Uh-huh" said Hawke cautiously "I'm no great fan of dreams myself, not after the fuss Powerless Polly used to put on them….though it works for the likes of Callum Prince."

"I'm no seer most of the time" said Francis "Though I generally do pretty well in class, Madam Spikenard said I might have enough talent to be an insurance assessor if I worked hard enough; and that's well paid so I have been working hard. But I was so certain, I put together everything I could pawn and I borrowed from Ralph as well, and I – well I bet the lot."

Hawke groaned.

"And the team you backed burst out in Dragon pox half way through and you're in debt?"

"No! Far from it! I bet on Poland, you know they were real outsiders this time, now Wronski's retired. only barely scraped into the quarter finals with Ladislaw Zamojski getting one more quaffle in before Sweden's seeker caught the snitch and won by one point; and I'm sure you heard, they then went on to win the quarter final decisively!"

"Well, congratulations then!" said Hawke "You must have been on twenty to one for that… that should be a nice profit! Where's the problem?"

"The problem's Grang" said Francis "The goblin I laid the bet with. He's now claiming it wasn't legal to make the bet because I'm under seventeen, coming over all sanctimonious. He says he'll think about returning what I bet, but it might teach me a lesson to just keep it. And even if he does return it, well there's a week's interest on the stuff I pawned!"

"Little Bastard!" said Hawke. "Works for Kordach, does he?"

Francis nodded.

"I think so" he said.

"Well then" said Hawke "Kinat and us twins can certainly do something because Kinat knows where a lot of goblin bodies are metaphorically buried; and our Uncle Lucius knows Kordach and, if I know Uncle Lucius, probably has something on him. If we can't threaten this Grang directly I'm sure Lucius can lean on his boss. Look, I'll tell you what, we'll pool resources so you can redeem your pawned stuff before you have to pay any more – that goblin pawn shop in Hogsmead comes close to being usurious - and you can pay us back when we've extracted the dibs from Grang. That means it don't matter if it takes a week or two for Lucius to threaten Kordach appropriately."

"Would you Hawke? That – that's really decent of you!"

"Look Francis, before Abraxus' parents adopted me I was as poor as you, maybe poorer because I was dumped on a senile old uncle who didn't always think about minor things like eating. My parents left him money for my upkeep for a few years – less years than I was with him – before they disappeared on some research trip and he hid it somewhere. And then forgot where. I know poverty; and how much one week's pawn interest can mean. Tell me how much you need and I'll go scrounging."

Grang was an unprepossessing looking goblin, furtive and mean looking, the epitome of the wizarding concept of a goblin who could have served happily as the front cover picture on Rita Skeeter's book 'The evil economists', a supposed exposé of sharp goblin practises. He smiled ingratiatingly at four Hogwarts students who entered his small betting shop in Hogsmeade.

"Ah, young gentlemen! How may I serve you?"

"By coughing up the twenty-to-one dibs you owe our friend Mr Davenport" said Hawke.

"Oh dear, I'm afraid that's not possible" said Grang, trying to look sorrowful and not quite succeeding "Underage betting on international matches is illegal, you know."

"No, actually it isn't" said Abraxus "Because we checked the law. Betting on international matches below the age of fourteen is illegal, and Mr Davenport, in common with the rest of us, is over fourteen."

"Well, I should have to check that out of course, ask Professor Dumbledore and so on; I don't suppose he'd like that, Dumbledore doesn't like his boys betting, does he?"

"Albus Dumbledore would rather have his boys treated properly and legally than worry about whether they've been betting or no" said Hawke "And as a last resort we shall go to him; but I don't think we'll need to. Kinat."

"Grang, you are on probation already because of a certain fraudulent transaction you undertook at Gringott's whilst, I believe the phrase is, 'Flying a Kite'" said Kinat "And you are posted as being irregular in your actions over paying out. I know you also own the pawn shop through a shell, and hope to extract all you can from Mr Davenport through that even if he DOES go to Dumbledore to make you cough up. Abraxus."

"But you see, old sport, we don't NEED Dumbledore" said Abraxus. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Abraxus Malfoy; and this is my Twin Hawke. And our Uncle Lucius – who is a very fond uncle of ours – is known very well to Kordach. In fact, Uncle Lucius knows so much about Kordach that if he ever WHISPERED to your boss that he was displeased with you, you'd be lucky to get away with broken legs and your head cursed backwards. Romulus."

Grang had gone a pale dirty greenish grey at having Kordach's name bandied about so freely. Romulus smiled sweetly.

"Now you might also have noticed, friend Grang, that the four of us bear a certain scar. We were out there during the battle of Hogwarts killing werewolves and Deatheaters, so you may see that we are not exactly helpless little schoolboys but hardened warriors who can eat people like you for breakfast. In fact" he added meditatively "It might give us indigestion, but it would certainly get rid of the evidence. Hawke."

Grang gave a whinny of fear. Hawke smiled genially.

"And there are even better ways of hiding the evidence" he said "We are extremely skilled at transfiguration and I can quite see you living out the rest of your life as the rat you really are; AFTER we've let Kordach play with you. It'll be more fun that way. I never saw a rat with its head on backwards before."

"All right – all right!" gasped Grang, sweat pouring down his face "I'll give you the money for your friend! Just tell him never to bet in my shop again!"

"I rather fancy he'd already come to that conclusion old boy" said Abraxus. "We'll help you count it out, shall we? We are excellent arithmancers, I'd hate to think we might have to shop you to Kordach just because your adding up was a little inaccurate….."

Grang opened his mouth to swear; looked at their faces and swallowed hard.

"Wise move" said Romulus "We'd hate to have to cast the slug-vomiting curse on you for using naughty words to sully our sweetly innocent and youthful ears."

Francis almost wept with gratitude when the marauders gave him his money.

"We haven't taken out the sum of the loan yet" said Abraxus "We thought you might enjoy gloating on the full amount first."

Francis managed a shaky grin.

"And on top of that, what do I owe you for getting it for me? By way of commission?" he asked.

"Oh nothing at all old boy!" said Hawke "It was worth it just to put the frightners on that little creep Grang. It's one of the attractions of bullying I suppose, forcing your will on others; but it's even sweeter to bully the bullies and see their hard shells crumble before one's superior abilities. I LOVE bullying bullies and creeps!"

Abraxus and Hawke also decided to write to Lucius anyway; and ask him to apprise Kordach that one of his men had caused some trouble – adequately sorted out – but that if they were he, they'd be keeping him on a shorter leash.

Lucius presumably took them at their word, because a couple of days later Ellie, buying sweets in Hogsmeade, reported that a goblin in a pearl grey pointed hat and spats accompanied by a couple of troll bodyguards was talking to Grang, who looked rather green.

"They didn't do anything violent" said Ellie "But I kind of got the impression they didn't need to."

Mr Abraxus and Mr Hawke Malfoy got a beautifully written letter by owl next morning, signed by Kordach, thanking them for their concern for his good name by bringing a few irregularities to his notice.

"You will find the rates in the pawnbroker's will be more reasonable in future" it said "As well as betting winnings paid on time I am most distressed that the young gentlefolk of Hogwarts have been discommoded by the greed of an underling; I assure you he will behave more properly in the future."

"Heh, he doesn't want to lose business" said Hawke "Distressed over us kids, I don't think so; distressed at losing revenue more like."

"True" said Abraxus "But then, a relatively honest crime lord, who makes sure the leaders of society don't hate him enough to dislodge him will make more than someone after a quick dirty buck."

"Y'mean he's sort of trying to placate us so we don't have him killed when we're grown up?"

"That about sums it up I guess" said Abraxus "I understand he's trying to go approximately legit now there's more fairness for goblins; and y'know I guess we want to encourage that."

The others nodded.

There was something in what Abraxus said.

The only other excitement at the end of term was the exams, Ginny with her NEWTs and David, Grace and Erich doing OWLs.

Grace did not much care what results she got in the seven OWLs she was taking; she was planning on marrying Draco in the holidays anyway and was not coming back for NEWTs. Erich was taking a fairly standard nine OWLs; David was theoretically taking ten as he was fitting in astronomy as an extra; though as he already had an OWL in DADA he had not needed to attend those classes. So long as he got the grades for the six NEWTs he wanted to take he was not much bothered; but he had enjoyed studying Muggle Studies, Astronomy and Herbology – to help with potions – and had not had a choice about studying Charms which was one of the compulsory OWL studies. He was not as good as some at Transfigurations – ridiculous as that might be, as McGonagall said for an animagus – but knew he stood a good chance of high marks in Potions, Care of Magical Beasts, Geomancy – the first year it was offered as an OWL – and Arithmancy . The OWL in DADA from the battle for Hogwarts that he already had, had been awarded at 'O' David having been cited as being one of the leaders of the battle. As David had mostly fought the dark arts with Kalashnikov, he wondered if it was entirely fair; but then, as he reflected, he could produce a corporeal Patronus and had the knowledge of how to make automatic weapon fire more effective by the use of hollow point silver nitrate bullets as a defence against werewolves. And he could counter most jinxes and curses wandlessly and wordlessly too; so it was fair enough.

The Geomancy exam was interesting; there were questions about such things as unplottable places, how to work out how to apparate to places you had never seen and drawing a map of the principle ley lines of Britain. The practical involved being taken blindfold somewhere by apparation, and told to return using ley lines by broom. Times taken returning would be taken into account for marks.

David was back before the examiner, an Auror, expected him and had to interrupt the man at his cup of tea to report in.

The Auror was delighted at such talent and beamed happily at David as he recorded his time.

There were no real surprises in the practicals of Charms or Transfigurations; David had heard various previous people talking about them. It was a matter of displaying certain skills and it was no surprise that he had to still dancing teacups as part of one exam and change the colour of a rat; and undertake the transfiguration of various objects and animals in the other, amongst other things. The written exams were more variable of course, testing knowledge rather than talent and skill, but David wrote knowledgeably enough about light-related charms for that exam and about the theory of similarity in transfigurations. In Herbology he subdued his fanged geranium by growling at it; as the examiner murmured, an unconventional but effective solution; and successfully and safely collected bubotuber pus. He wrote about the care and nurture of various plants and how to avoid being killed when digging up mandrake. OWL level only required knowledge of this in theory not practice. In Astronomy he wrote about the proper motions of the planets, identified several stars by colour and proximity to others in pictures, labelled the stars in several constellations and calculated the passage of Mars across the field of stars for a nine month period. It was a tough exam. Arithmancy he enjoyed more, calculating the amount of magical energy required to open a given volume of wizarding space, and using numerology to determine which of three boyfriends a young witch should marry based on their names; and investigating the numerological significances of the names Tom Marvolo Riddle and Voldemort.

As David and others of the MSHG who were interested in Arithmancy had done this study long before it was a safe question to ask, in order to better confound Voldemort, David wrote fluently and well, pointing out also the differences if 'Lord' were added to Voldemort if one did not use the full anagram; and noting that Tom Marvolo Riddle was arithmantically significant like Voldemort itself at seven; but that 'You-know-who' might actually be unfortunate for anyone who used the name unless they were Chinese but that coincidentally it had been significant for those who opposed Voldemort, eight being, for various reasons, a particularly unlucky number for him. . He enjoyed himself and was sorry when the exam ended.

He got a little sidetracked in Muggle Studies and – as he admitted afterwards – wrote too much on the production of electricity rather than on the significance of its use. But in Potions he was delighted to have to produce the Draught of Peace as his practical; a challenging potion but one David had no trouble with. As plenty of students around him seemed to be having trouble he knew he should score well. Since the written paper also seemed easy, one question being to list the different amphibians used in various potions and their uses. David was happy. He knew that his last exam was Care of Magical Beasts and he had no fears that he would do badly there!

The written exam involved various types of magical snakes, and David wrote cheerfully of runespoors, Ashwinders and Basilisks; and also about what were the major foods of a selection of listed beasts. The practical involved the de-infesting of a magical item infested with chizpurfles and feeding a hippogriff. The examiner brought his own which was a skittish mare who was having trouble with Buckbeak who was very interested.

David said

"Excuse me" to the examiner and distracted Buckbeak with some meat and led him firmly away and tethered him – with an apology and a quick caress – before returning to the examiner.

"Don't bother to go on, I can see you can handle hippogriffs more than adequately" said the examiner "And my thanks. He's a big fellow that one."

David grinned. He was fond of Buckbeak.

And then it was all over; and the end of the term swiftly on the heels of the exams and Ginny Weasley celebrated leaving school by booby trapping a cauldron to explode marshmallows all over Severus and his final class of third years.

The third years voted her the best head girl the school had ever had; and Severus eyed them sternly, set them a really tough essay as a holiday task and held a class on how to make perfect cocoa to drop their marshmallows in if they wanted.

And another year was ended.

It had been a very busy one; especially for the Marauders.

**The End - of another year. Next year the Marauders are taking their Owls... the title will be 'Head Boy of Hogwarts' and it's time for the Triwizard again. **

**Anyone who has been having trouble editing I pass on Taylur's excellent advice; go into the History on your web searcher and find when you last edited it, that will take you to the page. thanks again Taylur.  
**


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